Mega Man X: Denique Fatum
by Alagar3000
Summary: It's the end of days for the Mega Man X cast. Secrets will be revealed, deceptions laid bare, and finally, when all is said and done, will destiny be denied, or fulfilled? Finished! Updated with fixed grammar and no, at least I hope, continuity errors.
1. Chapter 1: The Dream

**Megaman X: Denique Fatum**

Megaman X, Zero, and all other related characters are copyright Capcom.

This is basically just a little AU on the Megaman X series. The title is in Latin, loosely translated it means The Final Destiny. I think that should explain everything.

***

Chapter 1: The Dream

* * *

21XX: New Tokyo, Maverick Hunter Headquarters (MHHQ), 1948 hours GMT.

Usually it's just isolation. Just pure darkness that cannot be seen, heard, or touched. Very rarely is it anything else. Just a recharge period where only the necessary functions needed to survive continue operating. Just an unconscious state of mind; no pesky subconscious to interfere with that sense depriving emptiness. Even in the most advanced, the ones with all the 'newest' technological components and advanced systems, it's just darkness. It wasn't unheard of, of course not. It had even been documented a couple times. But it was always seldom, never frequent. Oh sure daydreaming was possible, all of us had imaginations that would allow that. But that was daydreaming, a simple unleashing of the imagination for a while. It didn't happen very often during 'sleep' as humans would call it. For most of us it's just into the recharging pod and out several hours later with very little in between.

For most of us that is…

"Heh heh heh… Get up."

"Who are you?"

"My masterpiece."

"Wha? Who are you?"

"After him, he is my nemesis, our rivalry is what gives me motivation in life. Now go, destroy him, that's an order!"

"Buh? Wait…uwahh…ahhh…ahhhh…aaahhh…AAAGGHHH!"

Pain, all I know is pain. A horrible buzzing sound echoes in my head. I see images. Pictures. An old man with an insane expression, various computer consoles, an old enemy of mine screaming in fear at an unknown foe, a pod of some sort, blueprints… of me, dead bodies of mechanical creatures too mangled to possibly be alive or functioning, my legs in the inside of a capsule, fuel tanks of some sort, more destroyed robotic corpses; obviously victims of a massacre, bloodstained hands…my hands, even more blueprints of me displayed on a computer screen, more dead robots, arms, legs, torsos, heads with lifeless eyes that seem to stare at me, death, everywhere, pain, death, suffering, massacre, blood, corpses…

Something's not right…

'Well of course something's not right,' you may say. 'Dude I think you should get some help,' or something to that effect. But that's not what I mean.

I'm usually awake by now. This is further than I've ever been.

"Zero."

I turn around to see who addressed me. "AAHHH!" It's the old man. Except now his head has been crushed, his brains and other vital fluids spilling out of his ears. Yet he still speaks to me.

"This is your doing. You have done this."

"Nh…no. It can't be. I would never do this."

He starts to come towards me. "What's the matter? Afraid of your achievement?"

"No that isn't possible, stay away from me!"

"Are you afraid of those who are dead, those you have killed?" As he spoke, the mangled corpses of the robots came together and started moving towards me, looking like robotic zombies.

"Who are you? What are they? Why am I here?"

"I think the real question is, who are you? What should you be? Why are you here?"

"What? What are you talking about? What do you mean?"

"Why do you resist your true nature? Why do you resist your destiny?" The old man exclaimed as the robots surrounded me.

"No, stay away! STAY AWAY!"

"There's only one way, kill them. Kill all of them."

"No, they're already dead!"

"It's the only way to be free."

"It can't be! There must be some other way!"

"Kill them."

"No!"

"Kill them!"

"NOO!"

"KILL THEM ALL!"

"YYYYAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" I couldn't take it any longer. My vision clouded and all I saw was red. My hands shot out into the crowd of robots and started to rip them all apart. I slaughtered them all. I mangled their already dead bodies. I tore off heads and appendages, oil and hydraulic fluids flew everywhere.

And when it was all over, and I was able to regain control of myself, I looked over to where the old man was standing.

"MWAHAHAHAH! Excellent Zero. You are the ultimate killer. Just as I created you to be. However, you have not fulfilled your mission. You have to kill more, many more…especially him." The old man pointed at something.

Wearily, I looked where he was pointing, but an intense white light blinded me.

"Zero?"

Oh god.

"Zero? What's wrong?"

I know that voice.

"Zero? What's happening to you?"

No.

The old man sneered at me. "What's the matter Zero? Can't do it? I'll take care of that."

I was confused. "Wha…ahh…nnnoo…not again…AAAUUUGH!" Once again that searing pain in my head made itself known.

"ZERO!? What's wrong?! Wake up, Zero! Please, WAKE UP!"

* * *

End Chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2: Afterwards

Chapter 2: Afterwards

* * *

21XX: New Tokyo, Maverick Hunter Headquarters (MHHQ), 0417 Hours GMT

My eyes shoot open. I can't see. It's too bright. But I do hear a familiar voice that seems to be coming from above me. Also, the noise of someone banging their hands on something that sounds like plasteel. Then I can see again.…Oh crap.

"Zero! Are you okay?"

I gave my capsule its open command and the plasteel cover slid off. "Yes X, I'm fin…Ackk!" I wasn't able to finish what I was saying because X, his movement now unimpeded, had just trapped me in a bear hug.

"Oh thank goodness! I heard you mumbling in your sleep, and then you started to scream and then…"

"Ummm X? I appreciate the concern and all, but could you please let go, your starting to choke me."

"Oh! Sorry about that." He got a shy look on his face as he reached up to scratch the back of his head. Heh. X could be stoic as stone most of the time, but was also known for his amazing mood swings, especially whenever someone he cared about was even in the slightest bit of trouble.

"It's alright X, I was just having a bad dream." More like a nightmare.

X showed a look of concern. "Really? Want to talk about it?"

"Not really. I…wait a minute." I looked around, just to make sure I was where I thought I was. "Why are you in my room?"

My question looked like it had caught him off guard. "Oh that, well, I was talking with Signas earlier this morning and he said he wanted to brief us on our last fight with Sigma."

Oy, I don't want to talk about that. Oh well, he is the boss. I glanced over at my clock. 1319 hours already? That dream must have taken longer than I thought it had. Well, at least that explained why X came looking for me, I never usually sleep in this late, even after a late night out hunting. "Alrighty then, you head on over there and tell him I'll be right there."

"Sure thing Zero," X said with a grin and he was off to Signas' office, deep in the bowels of MHHQ.

I got out of my recharging capsule and walked over to my sink. I looked at myself closely in the mirror; seemed like everything is fine. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh of relief. But when I opened them again, I'm totally covered in blood. I panicked and went for the water faucet, but suddenly my hands were clean. I looked at myself again and there was no trace of any blood. "Great, now I'm seeing things too." I briefly thought about telling X about this after our debriefing, but than quickly reconsidered. No reason to let him fret over something that he couldn't really help with anyway. No, I needed to finish getting ready and head out, I was already taking too much time as it is.

---

"You did tell him that I wanted to see _both_ of you, correct?"

"For the fourth time Signas, yes I did, I could've sworn he would be here soon. Oh wait, here he is now."

I walked in with a half finished burrito. " Sorry, I stopped by the cafeteria on the way over. I haven't had anything to eat all day."

Signas frowned as he let out a sigh. It was obvious that he had had a long day already, and I was just making it longer. To be sure, he had the utmost respect for me, however, there were times when even I tried his patience. "Well Zero, if you kept better hours with your recharging sessions, this sort of thing might not happen."

It was at this moment that X decided to chime in. "Sir, I think it's something else as well. When I went to get him, Zero said he was having nightmares and..."

"X!" I can't believe that he would just blurt something out like that. On the one hand I understood that X was just acting protective of me, but this could end up causing trouble in and of itself.

Signas, meanwhile, had quickly looked up from the papers he had been shuffling and looked at me with an incredulous expression. "What? Is this true Zero?"

I glared at X, who looked at me like he had just realized what a faux pau he just made. I looked back over to Signas and gritted my teeth, readying myself for the lecture that was about to come. "Yes, Signas, I have been having nightmares, what of it?"

Signas raised one eyebrow at my accusatory tone, but then dismissed it and continued to shuffle papers. "Nothing. It is just odd is all. Since it has not seriously affected your work it is none of my business. I would suggest that you talk to someone about it, but you seem to be confiding in X and that is good enough for me."

"Really?" I asked, slightly surprised that Signas would let me off so easily.

"Yes, really. However, the minute your performance starts to suffer, you will go see a professional. Understood?"

He wouldn't waiver on this bit. That much I was sure of. "Sure, that sounds fair. So, what did you want to see me and X for? Something about a debriefing?"

"Correct. First off, congratulations again for stopping the uprising. From the reports that were filed, it looks like Sigma's forces are dwindling."

X quickly jumped in to elaborate more. "Yes, and they were greener than usual. This leads me to believe that he's running low on maverick generals, seeing as how he's not able to train them as well he has in past uprisings."

Signas nodded, taking in all the information given to him. He then looked at me, as if to signal me to start talking.

"I concur with X in that the maverick generals were less experienced this time around, but not necessarily that that means Sigma is running low on forces. The more generals he has the less time he needs to actually train each one of them as each successive general can assist in the training of others. The fact that these generals were green could just mean that they were the new guys and that there are still some more dangerous ones still at large, probably trying to figure out a way to bring Sigma back again. Call it what you will, but I have the strongest feeling that we will see more of Sigma soon."

Signas calmly considered this for a few minutes. "You both make good points, however, what we can all agree on is that the destruction of Sigma, once again, will most certainly stall any larger plans the remaining maverick generals may have had. It is almost a certainty that they will go into hiding for the time being while they try to 'get their acts together' as the saying goes. What we need to do in the mean time is focus on recruitment and training while we can. Zero, I want you to set up meetings with the other unit commanders and begin drafting up new training policies and systems. We need to be at the top of our game when Sigma's forces make their move. X, I want you to focus on reviewing and, if necessary, revising our recruitment policies."

"Should I offer more incentives for enlistment?"

"No, we have plenty of people who would give an arm to get in here. What we need to do is make sure the ones giving the arm will meet our duty requirements."

"I'll start as soon as I finish my appointment."

"Oh that's right, you're guest lecturing over at NIT right? Good luck with that X."

X beamed with pride at the compliment. "Thanks, although I doubt I'll need it, I've been ready for this for a week now."

"Excellent, you will have to tell me how it goes. Well I guess that is all for now. You are both dismissed, enjoy some time off. God knows you have earned it."

X and I left out the door into the hallway. "Well Zero, I have to go get ready for the lecture. I'll see you later tonight alright?"

"Yeah, yeah later X." I began to walk to my room. For the last few minutes the nightmare was running through my head again. Who was that old man, and why did he want me to hurt X? What else bothered me was the fact that the nightmares had been increasing in frequency over the past few months. Fighting Sigma's forces had only exacerbated the problem. The zone I go into when I fight is something that no other reploid, save X, has ever come close to. Sometimes I get so into the fight that I don't stop attacking my enemy, even after it's dead. The only thing that snaps me out of my battle rage is when my beam saber begins to run low on power. It's only then that it really hits home with me. The amount of destruction I cause and am capable of causing is mind-boggling, even for a combat oriented reploid. It makes me wonder. X was created to be a protector and he fills the role well. Me, well I'm not sure what my creator had in mind when he was putting the finishing touches on my body. I wonder if he deliberately made it so that destruction was second nature to me. It sure seems that way sometimes.

I got to my room and laid down on my bed. Who would want X dead, besides one certain giant, bald reploid who had a knack for not staying dead and that reploid's minions? The list was pretty short. This strange old man seemed to want it pretty badly. He called me his masterpiece. Does this mean that I was created to destroy X? I resigned myself to the fact that I would have to do some personal investigation into just who else has reason to want X dead.

I sighed as I stared up at the ceiling. "X, I have a bad feeling. Like, for some reason, this is the end of days and that nothing I can do will alter my destiny. I trust you though. If something happens, you'll help. That's what you do. That's what you've always done. I just hope it won't be too late for either of us."

* * *

End Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3: Ruminations of the Past

Chapter 3: Ruminations of the Past

* * *

21XX: New Tokyo, The New Tokyo Institute of Technology, 0730 Hours GMT

"Thank you for that warm introduction. As your professor said, I am Dr. Xavier Hikari, and I just want to get something out of the way before I start; how many people in this room are reploids?"

I kept my hand down as I sat in the back of the room. I hadn't told him that I was coming primarily because I didn't want his attention to keep wandering my way. Pretending to be human was easy enough for me. Just act like you don't give a damn and you've got 90% of it down pat. Of course, I am biased, seeing as how I'm not one of them, but it still gets me that, even in this so called 'unified and peaceful' society of ours, there is still the foul presence of racism towards my kind. Sometimes I wonder, what would old Martin Luther King Jr. have been like if he had been a reploid. Heh, he would've probably dreamt of electric sheep. Oh, better pay attention, the 'Doctor' is talking again.

"Alright that's great. This lecture should be of particular interest to you all then because the topic involves the ever progressing science, although some might say it's more of an art, of advanced artificial intelligence applications in reploids. You'll have to forgive me, but I'm just going to briefly go over some of the history behind this topic, just so that you have an idea of the context. Now as we all know, reploids all share a common origin: robots. The very first robots were primitive machines that had the bare essentials and could only perform preprogrammed tasks..."

The kid sitting directly next to me leaned over and whispered in my ear, "do we really have to be here? I'm already getting bored."

I barely glanced over at him and said, "yes. Now be quite."

"But the schedule says that he's going to be going on like this for another two hours!"

"Good, maybe you'll learn something to put in that dummy head of yours, now shut up."

"I've already learned something. Me and school ain't supposed to mix."

"'Ain't' ain't a word grammar boy, now shut it or you ain't going to be feeling pleasant tomorrow." He got a sour look on his face and crossed his arms like he was going to have a fit as I brought my attention back to the speaker.

"...all changed with the development of the first advanced robot master. Significantly different from most of the robot masters that would come after it, the first advanced RM was DRN-000, otherwise known to the world at large as 'Proto Man.'" Dr. Hikari paused as a picture of Proto Man came up on the slide. A couple of the kids, and more than a few of the reploids, looked at the picture in fascination, they had never seen such a good picture of the robot. Of course, none of them would ever guess how he had gotten this picture, one of the many files on his father's computer at the site where he had been found. He continued speaking. "Developed by the team of Doctors Light and Wily, Proto Man was the first robot that could make decisions for itself, within the boundaries of the three laws of robotics, which both Light and Wily had agreed would be done with all their robots to prevent any danger should Proto Man go haywire. The development of Proto Man led to the eventual development of one of Dr. Light's other masterpieces, not to mention, the reason that the world is still inhabited by humans. He was originally designed as the laboratory assistant, Rock, but you all probably know him better as the robot who fought for everlasting peace, Mega Man." And, replacing Proto Man's picture was one of Mega Man with a bound Dr. Wily at the end of the sixth robot rebellion.

I smirked at the picture. So, that little robot had been the world's best hope against destruction for at least a dozen robot rebellions. Hard to imagine. He probably wouldn't be able to take on even the weakest maverick. Although, the trials he went through back in those days must have been every bit as difficult as the ones he and 'Dr. Hikari' go through during the maverick uprisings. Being the only one who could stop a madman time after time, and never being able to finish the job? Sounded a lot like what we went through with Sigma. Although, Mega Man had that First Law of Robotics in him that wouldn't even let him lay a finger on Wily with the intention to hurt him. At least we could have the satisfaction of killing Sigma each time, even if it's never a permanent thing.

"THAT thing is the reason we're all here?" the kid whispered to me.

"Yeah, hard to believe huh? Now pay attention, if anyone knows anything about the original blue bomber, it's him."

"Now, I don't think there can be any doubt that without Mega Man, humanity would most likely have been wiped out by the mastermind behind the robot rebellions, Dr. Albert Wily. Mega Man stopped Dr. Wily from achieving total world domination not once, nor twice, but over a dozen times. Each time he was able to do so without harming a hair on the crazy scientists head. The fact that he was able to fight Wily at all was incredible. Does anybody want to guess why that is?"

One of the students in the third row tentatively rose his hand. "I don't know if this is right, but, didn't one of the Laws of Robotics state that a robot had to obey any order given to it by a human, unless this conflicted with the first law?"

Dr. Hikari pointed at the student and said, "exactly! That's exactly the reason. Wily should've been able to tell Mega Man to stop fighting him based on the fact that he might've accidentally gotten hurt. That's the Second Law of Robotics by the way. However, Mega Man, and his brother and sister, Proto Man and Roll, demonstrated the ability to break the second and third laws from time to time. Mega Man first accomplished this in the first robot rebellion when Wily _ordered_ Mega Man to stand down and Mega Man refused. This should have caused his processor to seize up in a casualty loop, but instead, Mega Man was able to avoid the fatal loop by reasoning that, were he not to break the Second Law, Dr. Wily would definitely go on to kill more people. And he managed to do it with out even touching Wily."

"Then for some reason Mega Man, Wily, Dr. Light and all the others, disappeared. We do not know what happened or when it took place. All we do know that sometime after the 'King incident,' Mega Man and the other players in the Age of Robots just dropped off the face of the Earth. This led to most of the remaining robot masters that had been mass produced being scrapped due to the massive stigma that had built up against them. The only robots made during this period of time were the ones with incredibly primitive AIs. It would be decades until thinking machines would make news again. This occurred with the discovery of Mega Man X, the successor to the original Mega Man's legacy. The amount of work that Dr. Light put into X is amazing, and something that modern day scientists have still not been able to figure out. Even today, modern reploids still can't match the level of complexity and advancement that X has. Some have even gone so far as to call X a human who was born a reploid." The picture of Mega Man clicked off and was replaced with one of X fully clad in his iconic blue armor.

"He's giving himself some serious props isn't he?"

"Only what's been proven by all the best reploid researchers in the world."

"Now, I feel the need to point out that Mega Man X is not technically a reploid in the strictest sense of the word. Reploid, and the term does get misused from time to time, stands for 'replicate android' and designates an advanced robot that was built off of Mega Man X's blueprints by Cain Industries. Most AI programmers in today's world still can't understand how Light managed to program X's AI so perfectly and had to cut out parts of the design that they couldn't reproduce in order to keep it from totally crashing the reploids they were making. In effect this makes X something more than a reploid, but I digress, Mega Man X was designed to be able to choose his own path in life. He was to be given the conscience of a human being and none of the limitations of a robot, meaning he was not bound by the Three Laws of Robotics. Now the dangerous thing, and what Thomas Light feared, was that X would not have properly developed ethics and would somehow become an unstoppable force of destruction. So he made X go through thirty years of stasis where his intelligence was given a multitude of ethical tests with the purpose of making sure that he wouldn't become that which his older brother had fought against. X's discovery, and the subsequent creation of more reploids that were partially based on his design, led to reploids becoming a staple in our society. Reploids would soon be accepted in all walks of life as the equals of humans. Of course, there was, and still continues to be prejudice against the reploid race. This prejudice, which was especially prevalent in the early days of the Age of Reploids, caused many reploids to be mistreated by humans. Eventually there emerged some reploids that would no longer stand being mistreated and began attacking humans. These reploids were deemed mavericks and a special group of combat reploids was created to stop them, the Maverick Hunters, of which the two most famous reploids, Mega Man X, and Zero Omega, are a central part of. However, the first mavericks weren't the types of mavericks we associate with the term today." At this, the picture of X was replaced with that of the leader of the mavericks, Sigma. A few of the students shifted uncomfortably, as they knew what Sigma had done over the years and were afraid that, somehow, Sigma could, and would, attack them through the picture.

"Hey, what am I, chopped liver?"

"Easy kid, you haven't been around as long as we have. You'll get there."

"Mavericks as we know them now, emerged with the first maverick uprising, led by Sigma, former leader of the Maverick Hunters. Sigma had been build by the late, great Dr. James Cain, the man who uncovered Dr. Light's buried laboratory. At the time, Sigma was supposed to be the most advanced reploid ever built. To be sure, Sigma led the Maverick Hunters to great success during the early days. However, one day, every thing changed, as Sigma suddenly went maverick and attacked Maverick Hunter Headquarters with his elite squadron of eight former hunters. For years, no one knew what had caused Sigma to so abruptly go maverick, and he was defeated twice by Mega Man X before the reploid scientist Dr. Doppler uncovered that reploids who went maverick did so because of an aberrant piece of code in their AI that was deemed the Maverick Virus; a malicious piece of programming that rendered even the most peaceful of reploids vicious, unnaturally powerful, killing machines. This discovery also led to the revelation that Sigma himself now existed as a computer program that was able to inhabit new bodies to initiate maverick uprisings. To date he has come back almost a dozen times, each time more powerful than the last. It's a certainty that, without the two hunters X and Zero always standing in the way of his goals, Sigma would most certainly have eradicated every living human being on the planet and crowned himself ruler of the reploid race."

"There he goes again with the two 'almighty' hunters that everyone loves and praises and not even mentioning the new guy."

"Truth be told, for first few times it was just him that stood up to Sigma. Oh sure I helped out a bit, but for the most part, during the first, second, and third he was able to beat Sigma without my assistance."

"Really? He's never mentioned that."

"Are you kidding, how is he your friend and you don't know about his modesty yet?"

"Hey, lighten up man, he's talking again."

"To this day, the exact origin of the Maverick Virus is uncertain, but it remains just as dangerous now as it was when it first turned Sigma against everything he once fought for. Now, that's pretty much it for the history lesson, I'd like to start by addressing the problems with......"

'Dr. Hikari' kept on talking but all my attention was focused inwards. The Maverick Virus. Possibly the most dangerous thing on the planet. Certainly, if it turned Sigma into what he is today, and could do the same to other reploids, it had the potential to be more devastating than World War III. I remember what Sigma was like before he turned. I remember that it was during the Repliforce incident that Sigma showed me our first encounter. How I had almost destroyed him, but in the end, couldn't do it and was beaten. He told me that I had been a maverick, but I remember Dr. Cain telling me, when he reactivated me, that he only repaired the damage done, and that he hadn't touched my circuits. But that must have meant that I wasn't infected with the Virus. Than why don't I remember it myself? How had Sigma come into contact with the Virus? He is widely accepted to be the first maverick that was influenced by the Maverick Virus. But he was built by Dr. Cain, and Cain wouldn't have put something like that in any reploid, much less his most prized creation. Is it possible that he could have been infected during our fight? But surely there would have still been some indication of the Virus in my systems. Unless, it was somehow able to hide itself inside of my systems. Hide itself so well that not even Doppler's 'vaccine' for the Virus could get rid of it. But that could only make sense if the virus had been tailor-made for my systems. But, saying it was, could that mean that the Maverick Virus is a part of my systems? Could it be that I'm the original maverick. If so, than my creator would have been the one who made the Virus. But why? Why would any man make something so dangerous, something that could destroy the entire world? Why...unless..._kill him_...what was that..._kill him_...who, what are you talking about...

_kill him_

_kill him kill him _

_kill him kill him kill him _

_kill him kill him kill him kill him _

_kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him _

_kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him _

_kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him _

_kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him _

_kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him _

_kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him _

"WHO!!!!!!"

"Zero! Jesus, wake up dude!"

My eyes snapped open, I was still in the conference room, but it was empty now. "What...Axl? What happened?"

"Dude, you tell me. I was sitting here and you must've been having a bad dream or something cause you just started spazing out like crazy. I put us both into stealth mode so that we wouldn't make a scene."

"Too bad not every one was fooled."

I looked over to where the voice came from. Oh crap. "Hi X."

"Zero, while I am flattered that you and Axl wanted to come to my lecture, I'm very worried. This is the second time today you've had these nightmares. I think we should talk about it."

"I don't want to talk about it X."

"Zero, I cleared the room as soon as I noticed you and Axl go into stealth mode. By the way Axl, that was a good move, even if it did give you away."

"How did you know it was me?"

"In between the time you start the cloak and when it actually covers you, you unleash a special energy pulse that I've learned how to pick up. I didn't know where you were, but I did know you were here, and I figured that you probably wouldn't have come here alone, so I deduced that Zero was with you."

Axl looked like he was torn between happiness from X's praise and embarrassment that X had uncovered their presence so quickly. "I'm sorry, I didn't ruin your lecture did I?"

"Nah, I was almost done and nobody really seemed to mind being let out a little early. Although you did give Professor Nagashima quite a surprise."

I looked over at the human standing next to X. He looked vaguely familiar. "Wait, haven't I seen you someplace before?"

"Yeah I was actually in the hunters for a while, 22nd unit. Beam saber specialist, kind of like you. But that was years ago. I'm actually surprised that you recognized me."

That surprised me. No wonder this guy knew who I was. I trained with those guys for a couple of weeks a _long_ time ago. This was someone who probably did give a damn about reploids. Here I had thought this was some stupid, arrogant human who, if he had had his way, would have made it so that robots had never been thought up. 'I guess that goes to show me what judging a book by it's cover says.'

"Anyway Zero, what's bothering you? If you want to keep it private we can go somewhere else. I just want you to talk to me. We're friends remember? You can trust me."

I thought about it for quite a while. "Yeah, okay. Let's get back to HQ. I've got some booze that needs opening and now seems like a good enough time. See ya later Axl, and you too prof."

Nagashima stood up straight and gave a salute. "It was good seeing you again sir. Hope we can get together and catch up on old times."

"Don't call me sir. I'm not your commander and you're definitely not my subordinate. As far as I'm concerned, you're better than a lot of humans I've come into contact with." I gave him a weak salute back, just so that he wouldn't keep doing it. Then X and I left the building heading over to my place. Hopefully I could tell X what's been really bugging me. Hopefully...

* * *

End Chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4: Therapeutic Chaos

Chapter 4: Therapeutic Chaos

* * *

21XX: New Tokyo, Maverick Hunter Headquarter (MHHQ), 0937 Hours GMT

"You know, it's kind of funny. I remember you used to tease me for the longest time about how emotional I used to get after one of Sigma's uprisings. And now, for some reason you're starting to have nightmares that are causing you to wake up screaming and thrashing."

"There's nothing funny about that. If your trying to get an apology out of me than..."

"I'm messing with you dude, you know I wouldn't try that. Well, unless it was something really, **really**, bad."

I looked at the ground at that last remark. 'Should I tell him what I think? What would he say? 'Oh Zero, you know Sigma was just playing mind games with you,' or something like that.'

He noticed that I was deep in reverie and asked, "seriously man, what's wrong. I haven't seen you this down since the 'Repliforce...'" He stopped mid-sentence, but we both knew what he was referring to. During the 'Repliforce incident,' I was forced to kill my girlfriend Iris, the only woman that ever really mattered to me. I didn't come out of my room for a month after that. It took X and Dr. Cain threatening to blow the door off the hinges to get me to let them in.

"Remember when we got split up in the Final Weapon during the 'Repliforce incident?' How you fought General while I was attacking Sigma?"

"Yes, I remember I got there just in time to help you defeat Sigma's final form. Why?"

Here goes. "Well, before you got there Sigma tried to talk to me. To tell me something. He showed me our first meeting, before I became a Maverick Hunter, and he the maverick leader. I was a maverick and he was fighting me."

"Wait, you were a maverick? But Sigma said that you were a survivor of that one mavericks' mad rampage. That one crazy maverick that destroyed an entire unit."

"Well, from what Sigma showed me, I was that maverick."

"That's impossible, Dr. Cain said that he hadn't changed anything in your systems, he just repaired the small amount of structural damage you had and revived you. And built you a new control chip covering. Sigma said that it must have been smashed earlier in the fight with the maverick."

"X, why do you think I've always been such a good hunter? You of all people must have noticed that I go into a battle rage while fighting mavericks. Lots of people say that I become a terror while I'm out hunting, not to mention the fact that I scare the green horns when I take them on escort missions. Face it X, I was made to be a killer. Why should it be a surprise that I was originally a maverick?"

"The first mavericks, the ones before Sigma, didn't have the virus that made them go berserk. If you had been a maverick at that point in time, you wouldn't have had it. Maybe you just came to terms with any feelings you may have had against humans and turned over a new leaf."

"X, the first mavericks wouldn't have been able to make such a mess of Sigma himself. He showed me our fight; I tore the shit out of him."

X looked down at his feet, apparently contemplating what I had just said. "He did look really bad when he got back, worse than any other time he went to hunt. But now that you mention it, he did seem different afterwards. Sort of detached from everybody else. He wasn't like that when Dr. Cain first activated him. If he did catch the virus from another reploid, could he have...is he saying that he got it from you?"

That was what I had been dreading. What would he say if he knew I was the reason that we are still fighting Sigma to this day. "I think, when he beat me in that warehouse, I infected him with the virus."

X looked pale. "But, how is it that you didn't have the virus then? You can't just pass it on like that. A maverick that infects others with the virus is still infected, it's been proven. It's impossible to get rid of it like that."

"What if it never fully left?"

"What do you mean?"

"You remember the 'Eurasia incident?' How Lifesaver noticed that the virus didn't affect me the same way it affected other reploids? How it made me stronger, faster, and more dangerous?"

"Yes, but we all determined that it was likely that you developed antibodies of some sort because of the innumerable times you and I have fought Sigma. It's almost the same with me, I encountered several instances of the virus as well and I didn't go maverick."

"But it still caused damage. It affected you negatively. It made me better somehow. For some reason, it made me more complete. What if I can never totally get rid of the virus because it's an essential component of my systems, made to strengthen me the more of it is present; something I was built with?"

X was staring directly at me. "Who in Heaven or Hell could build something like the Maverick Virus, much less build it for you?"

"I don't know. I wish I could remember my activation. I have had dreams of it though."

"That's what your nightmares have been about? Maybe it's some kind of clue. What did you see in them?"

'Smooth X, although I do not have to give you credit for your persistence.' "Death mostly. Lots of dead robotic bodies. Oil, fluids, and shrapnel everywhere. However, when I see my hands, they are covered with blood. I'm pretty sure it's human blood. I see Sigma, back when he was the leader of the Maverick Hunters, he's looking at me in absolute terror, screaming in fear. I see myself, first without my armor, and then with it; I have eyes that look like they have no soul behind them. But the last thing I see, is some silhouette of a man in a lab coat. I think he is the one that created me. And then he talks to me. He tells me to destroy...someone."

"Who?"

"...I...I don't know. I've never gotten that far." That was a lie and I did feel bad about it, but I didn't see any need to tell X about it. It would probably freak him out.

X looked like he was deep in thought. "Well...okay...let's just say you are the reason for the spread of the maverick virus. For some reason, you don't have the virus, or you do and, not only are there no physical signs of infection, it also doesn't affect you the way it does every other maverick. Either way, you are not a maverick and, if you did have the virus, I know that infecting Sigma wouldn't have been your choice. With all mavericks, the virus makes it so that they morally can't be held accountable for their actions. Unfortunately, mavericks are still a danger to humanity and the only known way to cure a maverick is by destroying it or fatally injuring it, so that doesn't really apply. But even if you did have the virus and you were a maverick, I don't know that I would be able to do anything about it. As many mavericks as I have retired, I don't think I could ever hurt you. You're my best friend Zero, I don't know what I'd do with out you. Whatever you did in the past, doesn't matter now, and it certainly doesn't matter to me." X looked directly into my eyes with an incredibly piercing stare; it was almost as if he was looking right into me, and I could swear his eyes were slightly glistening. He smiled and put his hand on my shoulder. "I would do anything to protect you."

I was stunned. I had no idea X was capable of such a display of trust. Well, no, that's not true, I did knew that he was. I just never would have guessed that he'd give me one. "I...I don't know what to say. Thank you X." All of a sudden I felt something weird in my eyes and then I couldn't see. 'Oh hell, I'm starting to cry.' I quickly turned away and took a deep breath. I looked back at X, he just smiled. 'Well, at least I can trust X not to spread this all over the cafeteria tomorrow.' We sat in silence for a minute, until I started to feel awkward. I got up and walked over to the other side of my room. "Well, I'm getting tired of all this depressing stuff, I'll break out the booze." I reached towards my mini-fridge, but I never completed the action, for at that moment I felt a giant rumbling in the floor. I quickly looked at X, and immediately knew that he was thinking the same thing. Someone was attacking HQ. We were out the door in a split second.

---

X and I burst into the war room. Signas was already there and was issuing orders to other unit commanders. "Signas! What the almighty hell is going on!"

Signas looked over at us, finished briefing Griffin, the commander of the 11th 'Rolling Thunder' unit, and motioned for us to join him. "There is a rather large contingent of maverick forces bombarding our outside defenses. I assume you both felt the explosions? That was one of our anti-infantry turrets being taken out. Luckily we have almost two dozen more before their ground forces can even hope to come within two kilometers of the base." Signas let a wry smile appear on his face at this last statement. Everybody in HQ knew how much he loved it when a well initialized defensive system worked properly. He turned away from the monitors to look back at us. "Unfortunately, with those air troops doing bombing runs every forty five seconds, it won't be too long before they take down those other turrets, and as soon as they do we will be swarmed with an unknown amount of maverick infantry. What I want you two to do is gather the 17th and the 0th units and join up with Griffin's unit to take the offensive to the ground troops before they can get close enough to do serious damage. The largest cluster managed to stay out of range of our guns so you should have no trouble surrounding them at this point. Luckily, Dr. Cain was thinking tactically when he had this place built. Because of the geography of the surrounding landscapes, the mavericks are being funneled through a relatively small pass. This is where my strategy comes in. The 17th and 0th groups will warp to the north and south sides of the mavericks while you three and the 11th make a charge through the middle of the infantry with the ride chasers. With any luck, this cavalry charge with decimate the maverick forces and it should be a relatively easy matter to subdue or destroy the rest."

It was at this moment that Axl burst into the room. He was gasping for air, almost as if he had run to get here, he had dark red lipstick smeared all over his face, and his hair looked a bit disorderly. It was all I could do to keep from busting my gut with laughter. X saw him and rolled his eyes, Signas let out a sigh as he put his hand over his face, as if trying to ease a headache, and Griffin just looked slightly perplexed. "I'm here, I'm here...what did I miss," he asked, panting out of physical exhaustion.

"Axl, while I appreciate your fast response to trouble, it would not kill you to make yourself a little presentable, would it?" Axl looked confused for a minute, than his eyes widened as he put his hand up to his lips and saw that there was still lipstick on his face. He turned beet red. "Never mind that Axl, just listen and you can clean yourself up later. I'll give you the short version; mavericks are attacking; the 17th and 0th unit will flank them on opposite sides; X, Zero, and the 11th are going to lead a charge of ride chasers directly into the mavericks and hopefully wipe them out."

Axl's mouth went wide as a huge grin grew on his face. The lipstick on his mouth making his face look hilarious. I had to put my hand to my mouth to make sure I didn't laugh out loud. "Excellent. I'll go get cleaned up and meet them in the vehicle depot."

"Actually Axl, I want you and the 6th to wait and warp in after the 11th makes it's charge and then start your attack."

A look of shock came over Axl's face. "But that means...aw come on Signas! I don't want to be on garbage duty."

"The initial charge should leave the mavericks disorganized and easy prey for your unit though."

"Yeah, but that's no fun. I want to put my guys into some serious action."

I knew Axl was only going to sulk about this, and that certainly wouldn't help his performance on the battlefield. "Hey Axl, I know it's not a fun job, but if you go through with it, I'll let you have something out of my stash..."

He immediately looked at me with wide eyes and said, "deal! I'll see you guys there!" He quickly went off to the washroom before meeting with his unit.

I turned to look at Signas with a smile of satisfaction on my face. He, however, appeared less amused. "I am sure I do not want to know. Alright you three, brief your units and head on out. I want everybody ready to go within the next four minutes."

---

Three and a half minutes later, X and I were in the vehicle depot with the 11th. I looked over at X, he was riding a custom blue ride chaser while I was on my standard red. Griffin and the other members of the 11th were driving orange chasers. "You all ready?"

Griffin and his unit looked over at me and responded, "SIR! YES SIR!"

X than looked over at me. "So, do you want to take point or should I?"

I grinned, "let's hit them at the same time. Same deal as last time?"

"Sure, first to fifty gets all the shots free."

"You're on."

The hanger bay doors opened and we were off. The mavericks were only two kilometers away. Hopefully Signas' plan would work and, while the 17th and 0th kept them occupied, we would be able to cut a swath right through the infantry middle so that the 6th could mop up the rest. Pushing our ride chasers to their limits would get us to the maverick's front line in thirty seconds, offering a large surprise for the mavericks that would be caught on the wrong end of a plasma cannon.

We were halfway there when, all of a sudden, I noticed a strange energy source coming from the middle of the maverick groups. That wouldn't have been much cause for concern, had the energy not suddenly begin to increase exponentially. Instantly, I knew what it was. I heard X's voice over the comm saying, "oh my god!" He knew too.

I frantically got on the comm to the rest of the unit. "WARNING!!! They've got a plasma cannon!!! Everyone, take evasive..." Suddenly the energy dropped to zero almost instantaneously. "SHIT!!! X, WATCH OUT..."

I caught one glimpse of X looking directly in front of him, in shock. Than, in an instant, his ride chaser was blown up under him. He went flying into the air, screaming at the top of his lungs.

My look of terror was quickly replaced by an grimace of intense hatred. I quickly got back on the comm; we were seconds from the front line. "Griffin. Keep going. I'll catch up." Griffin offered no words, but merely flicked on his acknowledgement light; he knew this was personal and nothing he could say would affect me right now. I pushed the chaser past it's limits, disabling the safeties and effectively turning it into a time bomb. I aimed it at the plasma cannon and preformed a jump with the chaser. I passed over the heads of some of the mavericks and jumped away from the chaser with all of my strength. Contorting my body in mid-air, I got ready to air dash back to where X might've landed.

Then my world exploded in blinding agony. I fell to the ground, stunned that one of the mavericks had been quick enough to tag me. Damn it, these were definitely not the rookies I was dealing with. I got to my feet and began charging my buster, ready to rain hell fire on any maverick that got in the way of X.

Then, ice water filled my veins.

Suddenly, I realized what the mavericks' plan had been. As I looked at the mavericks that were surrounding me, I was struck by how much the battlefield now resembled a sea. Every single one of them looked exactly like X. And they all looked in my direction. "Oh, god...please no!"

They all raised their busters and said as one, "MUST DESTROY MAVERICKS!"

* * *

End Chapter 4


	5. Chapter 5: The Beasts Within

Chapter 5: The Beasts Within

* * *

21XX: New Tokyo, Two kilometers outside of Maverick Hunter Headquarters (MHHQ), 1007 Hours GMT

"MUST DESTROY MAVERICKS!" A rain of plasma bullets rushed towards me. I quickly leapt up into the air and dashed over the wave of plasma fire. This was definitely a more cunning tactic than I was used to seeing from the mavericks. But there was no way that the real X would fire at me, so these must be shape shifters like Axl. I charged the nearest one and attacked. It brought it's buster to bear on me, but I was quicker. With one quick movement I brought my saber down and cut off the maverick's buster. It screamed in pain, X's scream. This was hard, even though I was sure it wasn't the real X, it looked and sounded enough like him that I hesitated, then hardened myself and got ready for the killing blow.

Then the maverick looked at me with terror plastered on his face. "Wait, Zero! It's me! They're controlling me somehow!"

I know it shouldn't have, but the thought that what the X facsimile said might be possible made me stop for a split second. It was long enough, however, for another X to shoot me in the back. Seething in anger, I turned around to attack, but I had no idea which one had shot me. I quickly decided that that little detail didn't matter and rushed the closest one. Two more showed up, but with one powerful stroke, I incapacitated all three.

I was about to drive my saber into the middle one's skull, when all three said, "Zero…why?"

The image of X, laying there, near death, was too much for me, I turned around, and got a face full of plasma bullets. I was now running on about 68 percent of my internal operations energy. I had to either get away, or stop getting hit. Yeah, easier said than done. I jumped high into the air to get an idea of where the two other units were, but than, one of the Xs latched onto me.

We crashed to the ground like bricks and more began to grab me. A mob of about a dozen of them started punching and kicking me, and, of course, shooting me. A cloud of dirt rose as I writhed on the ground, trying to block as many of the blows as I could. It was to no avail however; my energy was dropping lower for each hit that connected. Soon it was flashing warnings in my eyes, telling me that I needed immediate charge or repair or else my systems would start shutting down.

It was at this point that the Xs stopped. Two of them grabbed me by the hands and pulled me into a standing position. The one in front of me started to speak. "Zero, I'm sorry it had to come to this."

"You're…not…X. It's…not…possible!"

The X looked at me with mournful eyes. "Forgive me." It began to charge it's buster up for a fully powered shot. One that, at this range and given my current energy levels, would probably kill me. Ice water ran through my veins as I realized that I could die here.

_Danger: Primary in danger of cessation of life functions _

_Reason?_

_Primary refuses to destroy attackers_

_Suggestions?_

_Override executable personality file ZOmega using executable sub-file Virus  
_

_Acknowledged…_

_Activating…_

_Complete._

Something in my mind clicked.

Then there was a moment of utter clarity. A moment where time froze and I was completely aware of my surroundings. And all at once, the fluid in my body…boiled.

My hands shot out to my sides, going straight through the chests of the two Xs that were holding me and severing the connections to their power generators. They fell down, dead or nearly so, but by the time they landed I was already running forward toward the one that was about to shoot me. I stiffened my fingers and impaled his neck on my hand. In the split second it took for his buster to discharge the plasma it had been building up, I aimed it at the face of another one and, needless to say, it's head was now vapor.

All of the other Xs swarmed me, but it was too late. They had unleashed the beast, and I was now unstoppable. The center of the circle became littered with more and more pieces of scrap metal, silicon, and artificial skin. None of them could touch me, I moved with an unholy grace from body to body. Some of them were lucky and died quickly, others, I had fun with. Heads rolled, arms and legs sparked, and I got coated in oil and hydraulic fluid. My mind swam in red, but I could sense everything clear as day. It felt like I was on autopilot, only, this autopilot was crafted by Lucifer himself.

Then, something changed. The X's were gone. I whirled around, expecting a surprise attack by more of them. I saw some of the other hunters, they were standing far away, staring at me, unmoving. But then I saw something else. One of the Xs, the last one, was running towards me. The X was my enemy. I waited until it was close enough and then sliced it across the chest with my saber. It screamed in pain as I walked closer, a giant twisted smile on my face. I got my saber ready to impale it through it's head. The others were running towards me, but they weren't close enough to save what they must have thought was the real X.

The copy was trying to crawl away, desperately clutching the wound I just gave it. As I was drawing closer it looked at me, pure terror in it's eyes. It felt exquisite. It was saying something, I couldn't hear it; it looked to both sides, I couldn't see anything else. I had tunnel vision; my mind felt like it was in a haze, and everything was red. Then it stopped moving, it still had fear in it's eyes, and it was talking again. It looked at me again, but this time, as I raised my saber up for a killing blow, he closed his eyes.

'What is it doing?'

'_Never mind, just kill it!_'

'But, it's…it's not fighting back.'

'_You want it to?_'

'No, but…this doesn't seem right.'

'_Kill it Zero!_'

'But, I…'

'_Kill it!_'

'No I…'

'_KILL IT!_'

"NOOOOO!!!" I dropped my saber and clutched my head as an intense pain blazed through it. If felt like someone had jammed an electrified ice pick into my skull. I fell to the ground, screaming and writhing in agony. Then, as suddenly as it happened, the pain subsided. I looked around and saw that the remaining hunters had formed a circle around me. They all looked slightly nervous and a few, seeing that I had awakened, stepped back, away from me.

"Zero! Are you okay?"

I looked over my shoulder and saw X there, held up by Axl, who, like the others, was eyeballing me strangely. X, however, was the only one who actually looked concerned about me. "X…is it…is it you?"

"Yes Zero, it is. During the fight I met up with Axl. Seeing as how he's a shape-shifter as well he was able to analyze my reploid DNA signature and confirm that I was the real deal."

I stood up, causing most of the hunters around me to back up several steps, and walked over to X. As I got close to him, the deep gash in his chest standing out like a sore thumb, I looked him straight in the eyes. He looked in mine just as intently and, this time, I could see him behind them. All of a sudden I wrapped my arms around him as tightly as I could. Unfortunately, this surprised Axl, causing him to drop X and, subsequently, me. As I was holding him, I started crying into his chest. I knew this wasn't going to be a pretty image, but, heaven help me, I just wasn't able to stop. I don't even know how long we lay there, me crying while he continued to hold me, but in between my blubbering, I managed to say, "X, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

X just held me back, like friends are supposed to. He truly was my best friend. "It's alright Zero, I'll be fine, I'm just glad you're alright. That's all that matters."

"Unfortunately that is not totally true." I looked over at where the voice came from. It was a little difficult to see through the fluids in my eyes that passed for tears, but I saw Signas, along with his escort of four A-Class hunters, getting out of a hover-car. "X, Zero, I want you both to report to Lifesaver immediately. Afterwards, I want you to report to me. That is all." He then looked over at the other hunters and said, "begin clean-up operations immediately." He then got in the hover-car and began to go back to HQ.

'Damn it,' I thought. Signas obviously was not pleased about what just happened. 'This is gonna be hell.'

---

"So."

X and I both just stared at him.

He looked at us both. Then he sighed, seeing as how he realized he couldn't intimidate us. "Alright. Look, I know you guys are the two most popular and influential reploids in the world and that you two virtually make policy around here. However, I have to ask that you respect the authority that was given to me by the GDC, even if they are as most put it, 'a bunch of ancient technophobes that would be better suited in the Dark Ages.' So, I will ask you politely, what happened out there?"

X quickly spoke up. "Zero and I led the hunters to destroy a sizable force of mavericks that were attacking MHHQ. We were successful in our mission."

"X, please do not be difficult. I want to know what caused Zero to give you the wound that he did."

X looked over at me, but I just stared at the fish bowl that contained Sigma II. I just couldn't look over at him, knowing that I had almost done the unthinkable.

"Sir, it wasn't his fault. The mavericks were disguised as me. He couldn't tell friend from foe, that's why he attacked me."

"Yes, a most disturbing tactic, one we have not seen the mavericks use before. It is very lucky that Axl's ability to shape shift also gives him the ability to scan reploid DNA or else we would hve had a very hard time proving that you were really the true X. I am worried, however, about the apparent lack of restraint Zero showed when he fought the mavericks that were disguised as you X."

At this point the monitor behind Signas displayed aerial footage of my fight with the imposter Xs. I looked over at X as he stared at the video. I could see the shock written on his face as he saw how I tore through the mavericks. He had never seen me fight like that before, and it must've scared him a little bit.

Signas was also looking at X. "Shocking, I know, but this next bit of footage is what really has me worried."

The video now showed what happened after the fight. I saw X running towards me, and then the violent slash I gave him. He winces a little at the image, the event still fresh in his mind. Then, somehow, it shows a close-up of me advancing on X. 'How the hell did it get that close?' Then I saw myself, and I could see why Signas was so worried. I looked like a demon. My mouth was twisted into an almost inhuman grin, and my eyes were glazed over, as if there was no conscious behind them. Just an instrument of destruction. Then I raised my blade for the killing blow, but just as it looked like I was about to do it, I paused. I stopped, stood still for a minute and then fell to the ground in convulsions.

Signas stopped the play back. He continued to stare at me. Hard. "First the recurring nightmares, and now, almost killing your friend, and terrifying convulsions on the battle field. So, Zero, are you going to tell X and I just exactly what happened out there?"

I looked over at X one more time. He looked a little paler than usual. I then faced Signas, closed my eyes and took a breath, and replied, "I don't know what exactly happened. That's all I can say."

Signas regarded me for a moment, then leaned back in his chair. "Very well then, you leave me no choice. You are hereby stripped of your rank and confined to quarters pending a full psychological evaluation." He began to reach for the intercom, but my hand stopped his.

"Wait, you can't do this to me."

Signas' eyes shot daggers at me as he replied, "Zero. I would be very careful about what your next course of action is. You are already in trouble; if you go down this road I guarantee it will only be worse for you."

I took my hand off of his. It wasn't worth the trouble it could cause. However, I was not about to let this go unchallenged. "Signas, this is crazy. I'm one of the best hunters here. This is all I am. You can't do this."

Signas rose to his full hight, a good foot taller then me. He was playing the physical intimidation card. "Until I see that evaluation I can not know that you are not a danger to yourself and others. Do not argue this point further or I will have you put in the brig."

Just because Signas could make me look like a midget, didn't mean that he could, in any way, intimidate me. "This is bullshit! I've been a part of this organization since before you were a blueprint! And don't try to scare me by acting all big and tall! I swear to god, if you go through with this, I'm going to…"

"ENOUGH!"

Signas and I stopped in our tracks and turned our heads to the person who had just made the rather loud outburst. X was standing where he had been sitting, and he looked mad. Now, whereas it's a very common thing for people to see me angry, something has to be apocalyptically wrong for X to start shouting. To tell the truth, I was always a little frightened of what he might be possible of if he ever went berserk. Thankfully for all of us, he's only ever used his anger against the mavericks and Sigma.

He walked to where he was between Signas and I. Even though he was the shortest one in the room, somehow he was commanding more respect and attention than either Signas or I could on our best day. "I have had about all I can take of you two, so sit down, shut up, and listen to me for a change!"

Signas, to his credit, regained his composure faster than I thought he would. "Now just one moment X. Where do you get off thinking…"

Signas probably would have finished his sentence under normal circumstances, but X had just given him a look that could light a forest fire. "Sit. Down. Now." The look on Signas' face was priceless. He looked like he had just been told that he was pregnant, or something equally hilarious, but he did take a seat while continuing to keep his eyes on X. I would have broke out into a huge grin had I not been scared of what X might have done if he had seen me. "Stripping Zero of his rank is going too far Signas, and you can be sure it will send the wrong message to everybody else. There won't be a hunter in the building who'll want to around Zero if you do this. I will get Zero to see someone about this and I will make sure he doesn't break any rules. Just leave it to me. Are we clear?"

Signas still looked a little shocked that X, usually very quiet and un-assuming, was now taking control right out of his hands. He mulled it over for a few minutes before finally conceding the point. "Very well X, I will leave Zero to you, but he is your responsibility now, and if something like this happens again, not even you will be able to override my authority."

X was starting to calm down now. "That's all I ask. Come on Zero, let's go." We left Signas to his paperwork.

Outside I let out a huge sigh of relief. "Thanks for the save in there man. Hey do you want to…"

"Zero, be quiet for a minute and listen to me. I don't know what the hell you were thinking back in Signas' office but I just saved you a DAMN lot of trouble. Now, I am going to find you someone who specializes in reploid psychology. You will see them and keep me updated on your sessions or I will let Signas do what he wants with you, and after that stunt I just pulled I can guarantee that he will not be in a particularly good mood whenever we come a'callin. I'm also going to start keeping a closer eye on you. That means that wherever you go, I go. After what happened today, it would do the other hunters some good to see us acting normally towards one another. Also, I'm going to be moving into your room, so break out that spare recharge pod you have in the closet. Now let's go; you're going to need help with that pod and I need to make a few calls."

I just stared at the back of X's head as he started walking towards my room. Believe me, I wanted to say something to him, to tell him off or something, but he somehow managed to dominate me in much the same way as he had done to Signas just a few minutes ago. There was just something about X, once you've gotten him angry you had better head for the hills, because there is a beast inside him that would awaken and it would unleash a fury that would chill the devil himself. No amount of convincing, physical or verbal, would cause X to deviate from this path he had set for the both of us, so I resigned myself to following him.

He was right though: those pods are definitely a two man job.

* * *

End Chapter 5


	6. Chapter 6: Clues and Flights

Chapter 6: Clues and Flights

* * *

21XX: New Tokyo, The Office of Dr. Nhils Frazier, 0350 Hours GMT

"Please continue."

"Alright. After all that other stuff has happened, I see this old guy who asks me a bunch of questions about who I am and what I was made for. Thing is, somehow, I think he knows the answers better than I do."

"This person you see, he doesn't remind you of anyone you've known?"

"No, not anyone human at least. However, there's something about him that reminds me of Sigma. They both have the same sort of aura of evil about them."

"And you think this old man was your creator?"

"I don't know doc. My memory of my life before my reactivation is virtually nil. If this guy says he is my creator how can I argue with that?"

"While your creator may or may not have been a good person, it should not have bearing on your life. Your own actions, working with the Maverick Hunters and saving the planet multiple times, proves you are a good person. Now, I'd like to know what you know about your life before your reactivation at MHHQ."

"Well, like I said, I don't really remember anything. The only clue I was ever given was a memory file that had a clip of me fighting Sigma. This was way back when Sigma was still leader of the hunters."

"If he was the leader of the Maverick Hunters, and he did fight you, why didn't he destroy you?"

"He probably wanted to find out what makes me tick. He's been trying for years to do that so he can get me on his side."

"He wants you to join him?"

"Yeah. He keeps saying that it is my destiny to join forces with him. Also, during the 'Eurasia incident,' he kept mentioning that I was the last of the doctor's creations, whatever that means."

"Do you think he knows who your creator is?"

"I don't know."

"Well, what else do you see in the dream?"

"Well, I get attacked by a bunch of half-dead robots I try to push them away but eventually I snap."

"You snap?"

"I begin to destroy them, rip them to shreds basically. It seems like there's wave after wave of them, but I finally do kill them all. Then the old man talks to me again. The scary thing is that, the old man's head is caved in, like if someone had crushed it between two fists."

"And he keeps talking to you?"

"Yes. He says there's one more person to kill. He tries to show me who, but all I can see is a bright light, and then I wake up."

"And that's it?"

"Pretty much, yep."

"And you think this dream is somehow connected with your lost memories?"

"Well, that's the only thing I can come up with. What do you think, after all, you're the psychologist here."

He wrote something down on his notepad, then looked at me. "Well Zero, I think you have a bit of soul searching to do. I would suggest you start to identify the elements of your dream first. The old man who talks to you, do you ever get a good look at his face?"

"No, he's in shadow for the first part, and when I can see him, his head's been crushed and the face is barely distinguishable."

"Can you recognize anything else?"

"The only things that look familiar are the robots that I destroy, and the warehouse we're in when that happens."

"Well then, that's where you should start. Figure out exactly what those elements are and we should have a few clues to your past."

I looked at the clock and realized that an hour had gone by, rather quickly at that. "Well thank you doc."

We both up and shook hands. "Not a problem Zero. It's rare that I get to treat a reploid, let alone one as famous as you."

"Right, so what do I owe you?"

"Don't worry. X took care of that when we talked earlier. He said that MHHQ would cover it."

"Alright then, I guess I'll see you later."

"See you next week Zero. Same time."

I walked out of he room and into the lobby, where X was reading some very out-of-date entertainment magazines. As I drew nearer to him, he looked and noticed me. He discarded the magazine onto a pile of others and we both left.

"So, how did it go?"

"Alright. We talked mostly about my dream and what it all meant. Oh, and I thought you said this guy specialized in reploid psychology?"

X looked embarrassed. "Ah…well, you know how hard it is to even find a psychologist that will treat reploids? I mean, how many reploids even go to psychologists?"

"True enough. Anyway, he said that I should identify the elements of my dream to get clues as to who created me. So, I'm gonna need to go to the Robot Museum, see if they have anything that resembles the robots in my dream."

"Oh excellent! I've been meaning to go there for the longest time."

Suddenly, a voice appeared behind us. "Hey guys! Where're you going?" We both turned to see Axl running towards us from down the street. "Man you guys are hard to find, I've been looking for you all day."

"Hey Axl, X and I were just going to go to the Robot Museum. We need to go look at some of the older robot models for some research. You probably wouldn't enjoy yourself."

"Actually, that sounds like a lot of fun. I'll come with, besides it'll help me understand some more of X's lectures. That is, unless you guys don't want me too."

X and I looked at ach other, slightly surprised that Axl was enthused about some thing like a museum.

X, of course, could not miss out on an opportunity to educate a friend and quickly agreed.

I was glad Axl was coming because he would get most of X's attention, while I was focused on other things.

---

"So, what's this next room?" Axl pointed to a long hallway directly in front of us.

X consulted his map and, after a second of searching he pointed at the map and exclaimed, "that would be the 'Hall of Robot Masters.' It showcases the robots that were defeated by Mega Man himself during Wily's Robot Rebellions."

"Ohhh! Let's go!" Axl quickly walked with X following close behind. I lagged behind, thinking to myself. So far I had seen nothing even remotely familiar with anything in my dream. I was starting to think this was just going to be a wild goose chase, but I decided to see it through. After all, X and Axl seemed to be having a good time, no reason to spoil it by dipping out all of a sudden.

"What the hell? Who thought it would be a good idea to put scissors on this one's head?"

"Probably Wily's. Cut Man here was meant to be a logging robot, those shears could cut through just about anything."

"So what's the deal with these six? Why do they have two names?"

"These were the six that were stolen from Dr. Light and reprogrammed by Wily in the first robot Rebellion. The original names were inspired by Greek mythology, but Wily changed the names, starting the convention for naming robot masters 'fill-in-the-blank"-man. As you can see, most of the robot masters Mega Man fought had Man at the end of their names. As time would tell, robot masters would be named like that until the end of the age of robots. Good thing they didn't keep doing that when they started making reploids huh?"

"I don't know, I think my name would sound pretty cool with a 'Man' at the end of it. 'Don't worry ma'am, Axl-Man is here!'" Axl struck a pose so ridiculous that even X couldn't help but giggle a little bit.

Meanwhile, I was staring at one of the robot masters from the third rebellion, the one called Shadow Man. Something about him seemed wrong. I looked over at X and Axl and asked, "these things aren't the real deals are they?"

X looked over and said, "nope. Nobody ever found the real ones, nobody even knows what happened to them. They, along with everything else from the Age of Robots disappeared one day without any explanation."

I nodded and turned back to Shadow Man, but all of a sudden, it was missing it's head. Sparks ad fluid flew from where its head should have been. The whole thing fell to the ground in a heap at my feet. 'Oh shit. What am I going to tell X,' went through my head as I got ready for the massive reproach that was sure to come.

However, as I turned to explain, I saw that X and Axl were gone. 'This can't be. They were here a second ago.' That's when I noticed the other robot masters. They were all in similar states of being. They all looked like they had been given an incredibly extensive wounds, the most dramatic of which was the centaur who looked like it had been ripped in half between it's legs.

"ZERO!" A gravely voice shouted. Now I knew what was going on. I was hallucinating. If I could just stay calm, maybe I could get another clue that would help me.

"Who are you?" I yelled back at the voice.

"Why haven't you done as I've ordered? You would dare disobey me?"

I figured he probably wasn't going to tell me who he was, so I would have to figure something else out. I took another look at the robot master corpses and said, "who did this to these robots?"

The voice chuckled. "Don't you remember? You did, and it was glorious! You killed them all with your bare hands and you didn't stop, you couldn't stop. You just killed, and killed and killed and you're still killing. You'll never stop."

Suddenly, the corpses began to move, just like in my dream. 'Okay, keep calm. This is just a figment of my imagination. It can't hurt me in any way. I just need to…' My train of thought was interrupted as I felt two sets of hands grabbing me and pulling me down. I looked to my sides and saw two of the re-animated robot masters dragging me to the floor, while the others began to surround me. Against all my better reason, I panicked.

"Destroy them Zero, just like you did before. It's so easy, kill them all!"

As much as I knew that voice was not that of a friend, it seemed the best advice at the time. Moving faster then lightning, I grabbed the throat of the one on my right. It's hands let go of me and began frantically grabbing at mine. It began to make strange noises as I tightened my grip. I was vaguely away of the other one who was yelling in my ear. I increased the pressure, but all of a sudden, I couldn't see right. The world took on a monochromatic color scheme.

This shocked me enough that I released my grip on the one I was choking. The other one ran over to the one I had been choking. I figured this was the best time to get away, maybe, if I could get out of this room this nightmare would end. I stumbled my way out of the room and around the corner. Then I saw something that made me stop in my tracks. All of a sudden, I was face to face with a grey-suited, red-helmeted, visor wearing robot. Somehow, even though there wasn't any wind, the bright yellow scarf it was wearing flapped about behind it. I stared at if for a second until I realized its buster was pointed straight at my chest. I tried to move.

I was too late. An incredible blast came out of the buster. So strong was it that I was pushed back a dozen feet towards the other side of the room. I got up off of the ground, and noticed there was a small hole in my chest armor. 'My god, it did that in one shot?' I grabbed something sturdy and pulled myself up to a standing position. Then I saw what was in front of me. A black and gold robot with what appeared to be fins on its head. Then, blinding pain as the robot fired both of its busters into the wound on my chest. I had done that once, and killed myself in the process, the black robot fared no better as the force of the energy discharge overloaded it and caused it to explode.

This was too much. I tried to crawl away from both robots to the other side of the room. For a brief moment, I thought that was all there was and that I could rest for a minute. Then I saw a shadow cast over me. I looked up, and saw a figure clad in blue armor. I very weakly called out, "X?" But this was not X, this was a hero from another age. X's precursor, Mega Man. Except, instead of a smile on his face, like the old photographs had always shown, his face was contorted in anger and hatred. He pointed his buster at me and began charging it. "Wh…wait," I said. "Please…don't." But he did. He unleashed one of the most powerful blasts I had ever felt directly into my damaged chest armor, sending me reeling. I writhed in pain as the super heated gas impacted me.

I lay on my back, warning messages telling me that I'm badly damaged and that I will be going into status soon. I lift my head, but everything is black and I can't see anything. Then I hear the voice.

"There. You wanted a clue? Well there you go. Come and find me now. Come and fulfill your destiny."

And with that I dropped into stasis.

---

I opened my eyes to a blinding white light. Now, for humans, that would be a problem, but my optics were able to adjust to the sudden increase in light faster than a human would have been able to blink. Then the reason for the bright light became clear to me; I was in MHHQ's sickbay. 'Joy. Now I'm going to have to deal with captain Sunshine.'

As if on cue, Lifesaver walked over and began to start speaking to me. "I see you're awake. You'll be happy to know that there is nothing physically wrong with you. I still have yet to determine what sent you into status, however. X said you were suffering from some kind of exhaustion, but I get the feeling he was covering for you. However, seeing as how I'm just tje doctor, and there's nothing wrong with you that I can see, you are free to go."

I was stunned. Normally Lifesaver would barrage me with questions and act like a total dick. Today however, it seemed he was genuinely trying to act nice. Then I remembered that that he most certainly knew about what happened between X and I the other day and I realized he was trying to keep me from getting stressed out of concern. 'Ever the doctor.' I decided to take my leave. "See ya soon Doc."

"Not too soon, I hope."

'A joke! There's hope for you yet my boy.' I left sick bay and proceeded to look for X. We needed to talk.

"Hey!" A voice from behind me called. I turned to see Axl walking towards me. Something was wrong though, he looked pissed off; quite a departure from his usual demeanor. He walked right up to me, looked me dead in the eye, and began unloading right in my face. "Look dude! I don't know what the hell is going on the with you. First you go absolutely berserk on the battlefield and then that thing, that happened at the museum. That's twice you've nearly killed X. He's your goddamn best friend! He may still trust you, but I'm going to keep my eyes open and my guns ready."

Usually when people talk to me like that, they meet the business end of my fist. However, Axl was making good sense. "What happened at the museum?"

"What, you don't remember? You were staring at Shadow Man for a while, then you started spacing out and talking to yourself. We tried to lie you down but you started thrashing around and that's when you went for X's throat. I tried to get your hands off of him but you had an iron grip. Then I put us into stealth mode because I was worried someone would come in and see us. Then you let go and ran into the next room, where you started convulsing on the floor.

'Shit,' I thought. So I really did hallucinate it, even the last bit where I got blasted. Although the voice said that that whole episode had been a clue. I had identified one of the elements of my dream, the robot masters were the ones I destroyed. Now I had to figure out where the factory I had been in was. "Axl, I need to talk with X in private. Do you know where he is?"

"I don't think that's gonna happen. Leaving you alone with X is top of the list of things I ain't gonna do. If you tried anything…"

I would handle it." X showed up right behind Axl. "Axl, I think if Zero wants to talk with me alone, he can do so."

"But X, what if…" Axl stopped mid sentence as X walked up to Axl and pointed right at his face.

"I fought Sigma by myself three times.. I've fought countless mavericks and have been near death more times than I can remember. I've even fought Zero a few times. I can handle this situation."

Axl might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he knew how to take a hint. He began to sulk off, most likely to the practice range. I looked over at X. "Did you really have to mention when we fought?"

"Had to get the point across, didn't I? So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I just wanted to explain what happened at the museum. I think I had a vision."

"A…vision? Of what?"

"Well, after I asked you about the statues in the robot master room that's when it started happening. All of the robots were wrecked, like they had been torn apart. Then I heard the voice of the old man again. He told me that I needed to fulfill my destiny. Then he said that I was the one who destroyed the robot masters."

"Like in your dream?"

"Exactly. The dead robots got up and began to circle me. It was when two of them grabbed me that I lost my cool."

"And that's when you started to choke me. So you thought Axl and I were the dead robots? That explains the look in your eyes when that happened. Forgive me for saying so, but you did look a little panicked."

"Yeah, well… anyway, then my eyes must have gotten all messed up because everything turned black and white."

"That was Axl putting us in stealth mode. I told him to when you started choking me. That's when you let go of me and ran into the other room, now what happened there? When I got there you were lying on the ground. You, very faintly, said my name, but you weren't looking at me. Then you started convulsing until you dropped into stasis. Were you seeing something else?"

I steeled myself for what was coming. "Yeah. When I ran into the other room, I saw three more robots. One of them was black with gold trim and what looked like he had fins on his helmet." I was about to continue but X choose this moment to butt in.

"Bass. He was Doctor Wily's greatest creation. He and Mega Man fought quite a few times, but Megaman always won."

Something deep inside me gave me the feeling that X was mistaken. I continued. "Well, Bass was one of the robots I saw. The other two were Proto Man and…Mega Man. But they weren't statues, they were alive, and they attacked me. Proto Man hit me with this giant plasma ball, then Bass overloaded his busters with me at point-blank range. Finally, Mega Man attacked, and he nearly killed me with his blast. Before I went into stasis, the old man spoke to me again. He said that I had gotten a clue and that I had to go and find him somehow." I looked up at X, finished with my reverie, to see his reaction.

X looked pale as he stared at me. "So that whole vision was supposed to be a clue?"

I nodded my head in affirmation. "Yes, and I think this clue is telling me to go to that warehouse Sigma showed me during the 'Repliforce Incident.' Maybe that's where the questions will be answered."

"Well, that's all well and good Zero, but for now I'm gonna have to tell Signas about this."

"What? Wait, X, if Signas hears about that he'll have me under house arrest and take away my rank."

"I'm sure he wouldn't be too hard on you Zero. But he is the boss, and I did agree to make reports about your status to him."

I knew X wasn't going to budge on this, not when it had to do with him giving his word. "Okay, well, I'm going to go back to my room. Could you tell Axl that that deal we made is still good?"

"Sure thing. And don't worry, I'll make sure Signas sees reason." And with that he was off. I headed back to my room and began forming a plan.

---

Axl showed up a few minutes later, and from the look of him, he had been blowing off some steam in the holo-simulator. "Hey man, come on in."

As he walked in, I could tell he looked like he had something to say, but was too embarrassed to do so. "Okay dude, you look like you got something to get off your chest. What's up?"

Axl was staring at the floor, but he started talking anyway. "Well, I was in the simulator just doing some training, and I had a chance to really think about what I said." He raised his head to look at me. "And after a couple of rounds in the target simulator, I cooled off a bit. I wanted to say that I realize that I was way out of line. I let my anger get the better of me and I just wanted you to know that I didn't really mean all those things I said." He stuck out his hand towards me. "Are we good?"

I took his hand and shook firmly. "Yeah man, we're good. Now, as per our deal, you can have anything out of the stash that you want, so look carefully."

Axl broke out into a wide grin. "Will do," he said and began to rummage through a box Zero had produced from his closet. "Oh, by the way, I don't want to take your favorite one, so which ones don't you use?"

This was the part I was dreading. "Sorry Axl."

Axl was still looking through the box. "Sorry? About wha…" At that moment I hit him in the back of the head with the butt of my saber, knocking him unconscious.

"Sorry I have to jack your warp signature." Every reploid with warp capabilities had it's own unique energy reading that was used to determine the reploid's identity. It's what kept mavericks out of MHHQ, but even it could be fooled, as was the case back in the second uprising, when a maverick called Violin beamed into HQ using a copy of X's warp signature to get past the shield. Now I needed to disguise my signature using Axl's. 'Signas will probably have my signal blocked after hearing what I told X. This is the only chance I've got to go find the answers I need. I'm just glad I paid attention to that techie down in engineering when I asked him about switching signals.'

I finished with the modification to our systems and quickly ran out of my room.

---

Signas sat, contemplating what X had just told him. "So, Zero tried to kill you when he had violent hallucinations at the museum?"

X was sitting across from Signas. He nodded and replied, "yes. He tried to attack me again but he thought I was something else. He explained everything to me when we talked about it a little while ago…"

Signas interrupted X. "The surely he will be able to explain it to me in the interrogation room."

X bolted to his feed, his face showing a look of utter shock. "What!? Signas, what the hell are you talking about?"

Signas stood and faced away from X, towards the control room. "As of right now, I am placing Zero under arrest. He is suspended from duty and his rank is repealed until further notice."

X's eyes widened in shock. "Signas! You can't do that! What about our agreement? You said…"

Signas turned and glared at X. "As I recall, I said that if it were to happen again, then he would be all mine. Correct?'

"Yes, but…"

"I will still allow him access to his therapist, that that is the only concession I am willing to make at this point."

X slammed his fist down on the table. "Damn it! Listen to me!"

Signas would not be intimidated a second time, however. "No X! You will listen to me! I am responsible for the safety of everyone in this facility, human and reploid. If Zero were to lose control again in here, think how many people could be hurt or die. I have total respect for you and Zero, but I have to do this. Now, will you help me, or are you going to fight me on this? I guarantee that after the evidence you just presented to me is made public, no one will trust Zero. If you cooperate with me, we can keep this relatively quite and hopefully treat Zero without spreading a panic through the rest of the Hunters."

X had a look of conflict on his face, but eventually sighed and said, "alright Signas, I'll help. Just…don't send anyone else after him. Let me go get him. He'll react better if I'm the bearer of bad news."

Signas sat back down, "very well." And with that X was off. Signas waited until he was sure X wasn't coming back, and then activated his internal comlink. "Transport chief Bryant. This is Signas. I'd like you to alter the transport shield to prevent commander Zero's warp signature from beaming in and out of MHHQ. Excellent, thank you very much.

---

X got to Zero's door and rang. "Zero! It's me. Can I come in?" He waited outside for a minute. "Well, okay Zero. I'm going to come in." X keyed in the code for the door and walked in. The first thing he saw was Axl lying in a heap on the floor. "Axl! Wake up! Axl, what happened?"

X's shaking eventually did the trick and Axl awoke with a groan and clutching the back of his head. "Ohhh… damn, that sucked. X? What are you doing here?"

"I needed to get Zero. What about you?"

Axl put his hand on his forehead, trying to will the pain away. "Last thing I remember is going through old Zee's stash and then he said…I think he said, 'sorry Axl,' or something like that."

X stood stock still as realization dawned on him. "Oh no. Damn it Zero, this is not going to help you." X activated his com. "Signas. It's X. We have a problem. Zero's gone."

---

X and Axl raced into the command center. "Signas! Any luck?"

"I am afraid not. The computer can not locate him anywhere in the building, and the guards posted at the doors reported that Zero has not left by foot."

"He must have warped out then."

Signas shook his head. "Impossible. I had the field modified to keep him from coming or leaving."

X looked confused for a moment, but then had a flash of inspiration. He looked over at one of the techs and asked, "have there been any teleports away from MHHQ within the last ten minutes?"

The tech's hands flew across the keyboard as he searched for out-going teleports. "Just one, it looks like commander Axl beamed out of the records room just a few minutes ago."

"One problem with that, I'm right here."

All eyes turned to Axl as the tech looked back at the consol in utter confusion. "But…but how? The signal…"

Despite himself, and the situation, X's face broke into a wide grin. "Zero, you magnificent bastard, I can't believe you pulled that off."

Signas took this moment to address X. "What did he do, exactly?"

"He masked his signature by copying Axl's."

Axl understood now as well. "That's why he wanted to see me."

"Precisely. Very old trick, before your time. I haven't seen it since the second uprising." X looked over at the tech. "Can we track it?"

The tech merely looked at X somberly. "Sorry sir, but once the beam gets past the first satellite, a retro-trace is next to impossible. The best I can give you is the continent he was going for, and that's only if I get really lucky."

X turned towards Signas, shaking his head. "Sorry Signas, but unless you feel like spreading our forces out extremely thin, the only way we're going to find Zero is if he comes back to us."

Axl took this time to ask, "excuse me? Why are we looking for Zero now?"

X answered faster than Signas. "Signas placed him under arrest because he thinks Zero is dangerous to himself and others."

Signas rolled his eyes and sighed but said nothing.

Suddenly, the tech turned towards the consol, which had erupted in a flurry of noise and lights. "Sirs, incoming transmission."

X suddenly looked very hopeful. "Is it Zero?"

The tech shook his head. "Can't tell. It's encrypted and coming from an unknown location."

X and Signas looked at each other. Signas said, "put it through."

The tech did so, and an instantly recognizable face appeared. "Hello X. how have you been?"

"SIGMA!"

* * *

End Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry about the long wait. I've been working on this off and on for a while, and I finally got it all typed out. Now, I have a question for everybody who's reading this. X8 changed quite a few things with the series. I've been writing this story so that I could deal with those changes in several ways, however, I am also considering leaving X8 out of the story line entirely. So here's my question; in my story, should the events that take place in X8 occur, or not? I'd like to think that a few of you will respond, so I'll be waiting. As always, read, enjoy, and leave some feed back.


	7. Chapter 7: Preparations

Chapter 7: Preparations

* * *

21XX: New Tokyo, Maverick Hunter Headquarters (MHHQ), 0900 Hours GMT

A more pure look of hatred could not be found as X stared into the monitor at Sigma's image. "You," X snarled.

Sigma smiled. "Hello X. I bet you didn't expect to see me so soon."

"Sigma, now is the worst time you could have picked to show your face again."

"Now, now X. You don't honestly think I'm completely without knowledge of what goes on in the old HQ do you?"

If anything could have made X scared, it was the thought of what Sigma was now implying. "What…what do you mean?"

"I mean, you have a spy in your midst. How else would I know about Zero's little, 'problem?'"

X's blood ran cold. "I…impossible. There's no way a maverick could get in here. The scanners would have…"

"Done nothing! My spy has been there for quite some time now, and your pathetic scanners could not detect him. The virus didn't affect him like it would any other. It made him better, stronger, and enhanced his abilities. But no matter. Why do you think Zero ran away from you, hmmm?"

'He knows,' X thought. 'How could he possibly know if he didn't have a spy? Oh god!' X slowly shook his head. "No…no, I can't believe…"

"Believe what you will X, but my agent has already gotten everything I need out of you. Now you play my game. Or should I say, 'our' game?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Eight maverick generals. The combined forces of the Maverick Hunters. My best, against your best. We'll see who triumphs."

X finally realized why the past uprisings had been uncharacteristically easy. Zero had been right when he said that Sigma was weeding out the weaker of the generals. The Maverick Hunters had taken few losses recently, however, there had been no new recruits. Also, training had been toned down due to the ease that many believed would only increase from here. Now X realized Sigma's grand scheme in its entirety. He could only say one word. "Where?"

Sigma grinned. "Well X, that's up to you. After all, the one challenged gets to choose the location."

X thought hard on a good place to maximize the Hunters' strengths. When he came up with the perfect place, he noted how symbolically significant it would be. "We'll fight at the ruins of Old Tokyo."

Sigma's grin slightly faded, as he recognized the reason for X's choice. "Old Tokyo… Very appropriate X. You have twenty four hours to prepare. Oh, and X?"

X just stared at Sigma, preferring not to acknowledge him with a verbal response.

"If you lose, everyone dies."

"And if we win?"

Sigma laughed. "X, this isn't a win-lose scenario. You don't understand do you? This is it. There will be no winners."

"What? Sigma! Wait!" However, Sigma's face abruptly left the screen as the transmission cut off. X stared at the blank screen for a few seconds before turning to the tech. "Keep working on finding that signal. I don't think it'll do us much good, but the more we know the better. I'll see about getting someone up here to help with the encryption." The tech just nodded, too much in shock to say anything. X turned to go when he heard Signas call to him.

"X, my office, now," Signas said. He abruptly went into his room directly behind the command chair.

X went into the room and sat across from Signas.

Signas was all business. More so than usual. He activated the P.A. system and briefly said, "all unit commanders are to report to my ready room in 5 minutes. The 0th unit will send its second in command." He then turned back to X and said, "options?"

"Shouldn't we have the other commanders here before talking about this?"

"I want your input first."

"Well, it seems that Zero was right and that Sigma has been holding his best back from us for a while now."

"Odd, that Zero would deduce such a thing so quickly."

"Stop right there. If that's what this is going to turn into, I won't have any of it."

"You heard Sigma just as well as I did."

"I know what was insinuated! Sigma is a liar, why would you even consider what he's saying?"

"Apparently, you are considering it as well."

X was stunned, but he knew that Signas was right. He had been thinking the same thing. 'Heaven help me. Could Sigma be telling the truth?'

Signas spoke up again. "Putting that matter aside, I want to know what you have in mind."

"What else can we do? A full scale assault would probably result in the death of a lot of the other Hunters, but it seems the only option. If we can overwhelm them with our numbers we can win."

"I agree. The others should have gathered in the ready room by now. We should go."

They both got up to leave. However, before X got out the door, Signas said something. "I am curious. What is so significant to you and Sigma about the ruins of Old Tokyo?"

X put on a wry smile. "It's the birthplace of the reploid race. It's where the capsule I was buried in was uncovered by Dr. Cain years and years ago. It's appropriate because, if Sigma wins, it will be where the total annihilation of the human race begins."

---

In the ready room, all the other unit commanders had gathered. They looked nervous as X and Signas entered the room. X took his spot directly next to the head of the table while Signas went over to the view screen.

"By now I am sure you are all wondering why I have called you here. Well, I shall put it as plainly as I can. Sigma is back, once again, and he wants a showdown between eight of his generals and our forces. The battle will take place at the ruins of Old Tokyo in approximately twenty four hours. Now, I want for us to draw out a plan that will result in the least loss of life."

All of the unit commanders looked shocked. Not only was this the shortest period of non-fighting the hunters had seen, but this sounded like markedly different tactics then what they were used to seeing from Sigma.

X chose this moment to speak up. "Signas, we don't even know what these new maverick generals are capable of. We have no data to base our intelligence on, other then the fact that there will be 8 mavericks and Sigma himself, in whatever body he'll be using this time. The best we can do is gather all available troops and try to overwhelm them with our numbers."

Signas took this information in and looked at the other commanders. It was obvious that they felt X had the right idea. "Very well, if that is the only tactic we can utilize at this time, we shall just have to try to gain knowledge of the terrain. Old Tokyo is a barren wasteland with very little in the way of obstructions. Because of our numbers, we will most likely be able to surround Sigma and his mavericks. If we are able to do this we may be able to use the 8th to drop explosive charges directly on top of them. A land and air attack if you will."

Griffin spoke up. "Will we be using the Ride Chasers?"

"I have thought about that. After the 8th performs its bombing run all hunters would form into one front. The 8th would make another pass at the mavericks, this time, dropping a mixture of flash-bang and smoke grenades. This would be the signal for the hunters on foot to create a path through the middle of their ranks so that the 11th, on the ride chasers, could plow through the maverick cluster without harming any hunters. It will be very difficult to maneuver and time correctly, as the mavericks may realize what is happening, but it is certainly possible."

Axl raised his hand and began to speak. "So, is that the definite plan then?"

"Unless, or until, we get better intelligence about the maverick generals we will be facing, yes. Now, I want you all to brief your units on what we have just discussed, then, I want to see you all in the training rooms. You will be having a very short night gentlemen. Eighteen hours to get your unit battle ready and then four hours in the recharging capsules. We have a lot of work people, and virtually no time to do it in. Dismissed. Commanders X, Axl, and Lieutenant Commander Dane, please remain a few minutes."

Axl and Dane, the second-in-command of the 0th unit, both moved closer to where Signas had taken his seat. Once everyone had gone, Signas started to speak.

"Lieutenant Commander Dane, I take it you are wondering where your commander is?"

Dane looked slightly nervous in front of three of the Maverick Hunters most prominent members. However, he held his cool; Zero had trained him well. "Well sir, yes the rest of the unit and I were a bit perplexed when you called for me instead of commander Zero. Is he currently hunting?"

Signas took in a large breath. "Unfortunately Dane, Zero has gone AWOL. We…"

This broke Dane's cool. "He what! But that's…"

"If you would please allow me to finish," Signas stared at Dane. Dane shrunk back into his seat, mentally kicking himself for interrupting a superior. "I am sure you have noticed Zero exhibiting some uncharacteristic behavior, including his attack on X during the battle outside of MHHQ."

"I…I just assumed he mistook X for one of the mavericks."

"Yes, well, he attacked X again in the robot museum yesterday afternoon. He was to be confined to quarters and temporarily stripped of rank pending a full psychological evaluation. However, before that could be done he attacked Axl and teleported out of the base using Axl's warp signature to mask his own. We currently have no knowledge of his whereabouts. I wanted to ask you if you might know any places he might be?"

"Uhmmm…no, sir. I'm afraid I wouldn't know where comman…er, Zero, would be. I actually would have thought he would be with commanders X, or Axl."

"I see. Well, in any case, I wanted to inform you of your units situation. Unless Zero comes back in the next three days, your unit will have to fight with you as its leader. Can I count on you to have your unit combat ready in twenty four hours?"

"Yes sir. We're always ready for a fight."

"Good to hear. Brief your unit on our plan and tell them that Zero may not be able to join them. Pleas refrain from telling them why, I do not wish to start a panic that might spread to the other hunters. You are dismissed."

"Yes sir, right away sir." Dane quickly left the room.

Signas waited until Dane had left and then turned to X and Axl. "Axl, I want you in charge of gathering the equipment for the battle. Meet up with Douglas in the hanger and go over all of the bombs, ride chasers, and anything else that might help us. Also, I want you to inventory all of the sub-tanks and heart tanks we have so we know how many everyone will be able to carry. Any questions?"

Axl looked more serious now than he had ever been. "No sir."

"Good, dismissed."

X began to get up as well. "Well Signas, I need to go make status reports on all of the other hunter units; see if they are all operating with maximum efficiency."

"Actually X, I want you to do something else. See if you can figure out where Zero went."

X stared at Signas for quite a while. "If I do, what will you do?"

"I will answer honestly. I would most likely court martial him for desertion."

X turned to leave.

"But…in light of the emergency of this situation, he would be put back in duty with a full reinstitution in rank. We need all the hunters we can get, and having Zero would be a tremendous moral booster."

X turned around, his head slightly bowed. "Well, I can try."

"You know him best X. If anyone could find where he went, it would be you."

X looked up at Signas. "No promises, but I'll do what I can."

"I would expect nothing less. Dismissed."

X walked out of Signas' ready room and proceeded down the hall way. He activated his comm and said, "Alia? It's X. I'm going to need you to meet me in the surveillance room as soon as possible."

---

Axl was busy being bored out of his skull. Douglas just would not stop talking. All Axl had asked was for Douglas to show him where the air-to-ground bombs and the ride chasers were. But Douglas had to give him the whole grand tour of the hanger, annoying tour guide included.

"And of course we have several ride armors of every flavor. And these over here are my newest creation. The Ride Chaser Mk. 5! I call 'er, the Omega. Of course it's still just a prototype, but once it's finished, oh man this baby'll blow the others away. It's got all the things you'd find on a Mk. 4, but one of the biggest differences is the steering. I came up with a new gyro system that'll let you pull off some things those guys in the extreme sports business wouldn't even dream of. Now, you fire your standard rapid shot plasma fire, or you can charge it up to fire off a massive laser that'll burn through just about anything the enemy's got. It's also got a complement of eight heat-seeking missiles that can be launched at enemies on vehicles. Six of them can be fired forward while the other two are for getting people off your tail. Yeah, this baby'll definitely do what you need."

Axl was seriously digging this. Put him on one of these and he'd make Griffin's unit look like chumps. "Damn Douglas! How long is it gonna take to make more of these?"

"Well, could be quite a while. I'd have to find someone who'll mass produce it for us. Course, we'll have to make it Hunter's only, because we certainly can't let this get into the wrong hands."

"No we wouldn't. Well, I hope it happens soon, we could definitely use it. Now, would you mind showing me where the heart and sub-tanks are? Signas wants me to do an inventory on them."

"Sure thing Axl. Right this way."

Axl paused a moment as Douglas walked away. "The Omega. Nice." Axl turned and continued following Douglas.

---

"Okay, so I want you to pull all the video surveillance of the records room from about one and a half hours ago until now."

"Alright, what are we going to be looking for?"

"The tech said Zero teleported out of the records room using Axl's warp signature. I want to see what Zero was doing in here before he teleported away."

"Okay, this is one hour ago." She began playing the footage at high speed until X spotted Zero coming through the door.

"There he his. Slow it down." They both watched Zero as he went through lots of the drawers, seemingly searching for one file in particular. "Hey, what's that he's got there?"

Alia zoomed in on the file that Zero now held in his hand. She magnified the image and cleaned it up. "Looks like a hunting report. Old one if that date-stamp on the file is anything to go by. That's years before my time."

"It's before lot's of people's times. It's from back in the early days of the Hunters. Back when Cain was still in charge, and Sigma was a good guy. Thanks Alia. I'll talk to you later, I've got to figure this out."

"I'll see you later X."

X walked out of the surveillance room and towards the records room. He had just gotten past the cafeteria when he heard a voice call out, "X, hold on a minute."

X turned around and saw Layer approaching him. "Layer…uhm, now's not a good time."

"X, I know something's going on. Where's Zero? He wasn't with the other unit commanders. Something's up."

X sighed. "Layer. What I'm going to tell you can't spread. Zero's gone AWOL. Signas was going to put him under a suspension pending psychological evaluations, but he left using Axl's warp-signature to cover his own. By now you know that Sigma's back. Well, he made some insinuations that there has been a spy in MHHQ for an undetermined amount of time now. We…Signas mainly, think that Sigma's spy is Zero. Sigma made some statements that seem to indicate that Zero has been working with him and with all the things Zero has been going through lately…well, it's hard to deny. I'm going to the last place Zero was before he teleported out so I can get some kind of clue as to where he went."

Layer took a moment to take everything X said in. "Oh my gosh. X, you…you will try to help him, won't you? He can't be a spy. He's been here as long as you have, this must be some kind of terrible misunderstanding."

"Layer, Zero is my best friend. Even though things have been a little 'weird' between us lately, I'll do what ever it takes to get him through this. But for both our sakes, don't let this get out, it could cause a panic."

"Al…alright. That makes sense. Thank you X. I won't keep you." Layer turned and walked back the way she came. X continued towards the records room.

X began looking for the drawer that he saw Zero leafing through. It wasn't hard to find where the file had been. 'What could Zero have wanted with this particular file. It was just before he became an official maverick hunter so it wouldn't have anything pertaining to him. Wait…Oh my god! That was the date Sigma brought him back from that fight with the crazy maverick! He must have wanted to know where Sigma found him. Well, lucky for me, I've got a backup plan." X hurried to the storage bay.

---

Axl had finished making his inventory of the weapons and supplies when he saw X running towards him. "Hey X, where's the fire?"

X stopped. "Axl, I think I might have found where Zero went. Before he warped out of HQ, he took a file from the records room. The file was a report of Sigma's battle with some crazy maverick from way back when. That was also the date Zero was recovered and brought to HQ. My only guess is that the file mentions where Sigma found Zero and that that's where Zero can find some answers to his past."

"But X, if Zero took the file with him, we're out of luck right? Unless there's another copy, we have no way of knowing what that report says."

X smiled knowingly. "Normally you'd be right. However, before Cain died, he kept personal copies of all hunt reports in his office. If we're lucky we can find the file in the storage bay."

"But how do you know it wasn't thrown out when Signas took over?"

"Zero and I made sure nothing Cain owned ever left HQ. After all, he did so much for us, it was the least we could do for the man. The only problem is going to be finding it in all those boxes."

"Okay, well, I wish I could help, but I need to give Signas these inventory reports. I'll come back when I can."

"Alright Axl. I'll see you later."

X proceeded to the storage room and made his way to the boxes that held Cain's records. The only problem was that there was at least twenty five boxes of files. 'Now that I think about it, Zero and I should have put dates on the boxes so we knew which files were where. Well, this is gonna be fun.' X got to searching.

After about an hour of searching, Axl returned. "Any luck X."

"I can't believe this! I've been over every box twice and I can't find that file. It's missing. Someone must have taken it, and who knows when that happened." X sat in the pile of papers looking dejected. "Damn it, I thought for sure this would be the breakthrough we needed."

"Well, someone obviously spent a lot of time making sure we wouldn't have been able to follow Zero. You said Zero was the only other one who knew Cain kept personal records?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, you're not going to like the sound of this, but, what if Zero took that file so that he could make a clean getaway?"

X looked up at Axl in shock. "What?"

"Think about it X. Sigma insinuated that there was a spy in HQ. Let's just assume that Zero is the spy. Now, Zero can't just take the file in the records room because it would have been noticed eventually. So he takes Cain's file because he knows about the copies and then, when his cover is eventually blown, he steals the file that would give us a clue as to where to find him. I'm not saying that it's true, but it makes the most sense to me."

X should have been angry at Axl for his suggestion, but he could not make himself feel the emotion. Axl had a point, and it was overwhelmingly not in Zero's favor. He would have known that no one would bother to check the copies until it was too late. It would have been the perfect setup. It all made sense. Yet, X could not accept it. "Axl, I need to be alone for a while. I'll see you later."

However, X did not head immediately to his quarters. There was still one person he felt he had an obligation to speak to.

---

X was sitting on a bench in the courtyard of MHHQ nursing a cup of hot green tea. His favorite. He leaned back to look up at the sky and began to speak. "So, I don't know if anybody's come by to tell you the news recently. Sigma's back. Yeah, I know it's soon. He's got a new strategy as well. We won't be facing his generals one at a time, like normal. He's called us out for a showdown. I get the feeling this is going to be the last time, though. Whether that's a good or bad thing, I'm not sure yet. Also, I've been having problems with Zero lately. I know, we're supposed to be best friends, but I don't think he trusts me enough to let me in. And now with him going AWOL and…oh that's right, you wouldn't know about that. Hardly anybody does. Signas doesn't want to start a panic with some of the hunters. He's got the right idea, but the hunters are already on edge. The news of Sigma's return has everybody stressed to the point of snapping, and the fact that everyone saw Zero attack me in the fight a week back doesn't help matters any."

X took a sip of his tea and collected his thoughts. After a moment he began to speak again. "The whole world seems to be going crazy right now. Sometimes I wonder, why did my father make me? He told me the first time I came across one of his capsules that he did not want me to become a warrior, like my brothers. He wanted me to have a peaceful existence. Then I wonder why he built these busters on my arms. If he meant for me to have peace, why did he give me the ability to destroy? Did he know that my mere existence would ensure that there would be fighting. Even if there were no mavericks, we would still have to struggle against humans who think of us as nothing more than glorified tin cans. I still can't believe how close the humans came to ordering the complete destruction of every reploid on the planet. If it hadn't been discovered that becoming a maverick wasn't an act of choice, and that there was such a thing as the Maverick Virus that forced reploids to go maverick, reploids would have been wiped off the face of the Earth long ago. And to think, the maverick virus, one of the most destructive forces on the planet actually saved reploid-kind."

X sighed, took a long drink, and thought about what he would say next for a moment. "I sure hope Signas' plan works tomorrow. I just know we're going to have a lot of casualties. If Sigma's generals are as good as I think they are, we're going to be in for one long fight. And of course, it's going to be me that leads the charge tomorrow. Signas will probably be there to give out orders as the situation changes, but there's no way he's getting near the action. I don't know if I'll be able to do it. If Zero were with me I would be fine. It's strange, he's always been the one that gave me the strength and courage to fight. Ever since the beginning, he was what made me strong. I just can't imagine going into battle without him. It's going to be terrible. God! Where is he? Why does this have to happen right when I need him most? Sorry…I kinda lost it there for a sec. I should probably get going, I need to be with the hunters right now. I'll come back alive though: for some reason, I always do. It was good talking to you."

And with that X got off of the bench and began walking inside. On his way to the door, he passed a reploid that was dressed as a ceremonial honor guard, complete with old-fashioned rifle and saber. The honor guard spoke to him. "Did it help?"

X looked at him. "It always does. Take care of him, will ya?"

The honor guard smiled. "Always do. Have a nice night sir." The guard stood at attention and saluted. X saluted back and headed towards the door. The guard went back to pacing his rounds with a very formal military gait. The spot he was guarding was very important to X, as well as to every other reploid in the world. It was the resting place of Dr. James Cain.

* * *

End Chapter 7

A/N: Wow, this chapter came quick. Anybody who's read Erico's story Demons of the Past probably can guess that the whole showdown with Sigma was a tip of the hat to him. You should all read some of his stuff; it's fan-fuggin-tastic! I tried to include some more secondary characters in this chapter such as Alia, Layer, and Douglas. Rest assured, we will see some more of them, and Pallette, later in the story. Probably in the chapter after next. Next chapter the focus will be back on Zero.


	8. Chapter 8: Revealing Fate

Chapter 8: Revealing Fate

* * *

21XX: Some where in the Southwestern United States, 0900 Hours GMT

Reflecting on it now, it had probably been a stupid thing to do. It sure wouldn't earn me any brownie points with Signas. Axl was probably going to be even more pissed off then he already was, but hopefully what I find here will be worth it. X'll probably be the only one that understands why I need to do this.

I began to reflect on what had happened after I modified my warp signature to copy Axl's. I had quickly left my room, avoiding contact with any of the other hunters when I could, and made my way to the records room. I flashed back to Signas asking why the hunter reports were not simply entered into the central computer. I had been annoyed with him at the time, but X explained that hard copies were better because there was less of a risk of it being stolen then if it was on the computer system.

When I got to the records room, I quickly looked for the one that would have the information I needed. Hard to believe that I had never thought to look here in the first place. I guess that's what suddenly becoming a fugitive does to you. After X told me he was going to tell Signas about my episode at the robot museum, I suddenly realized that the report made on the day Sigma fought the crazy maverick might have some information on where I was found. If I could trace my way back there, maybe I would find some clues as to who I was before I became a hunter. I found the file and quickly warped out of HQ towards where Sigma said he found me, a desolate village in the south west region of the United States.

Well, it certainly seemed that nobody had even tried to rebuild this place. It was still just rubble, albeit, smaller rubble than it must have been just after that maverick came and leveled the place. I could see signs of plasma scorching on some of the ruined buildings. This must have been where Garma's unit initially fought the maverick. Hard to believe one maverick could wipe out an entire unit of hunters. Well, that's not entirely true, I've seen what Sigma could do in his heyday, so I guess it's possible. I began searching for something, anything, that could verify that I or my creator used to live here. A photograph, a journal entry, a working computer, anything would do.

A couple of hours later, I had found nothing. Everything in this village had been destroyed, and nothing remained as a testament to the people who had lived here, other than a few lines in an eventually forgotten hunt report. I should have known it wouldn't be this easy. Now I would have to go back to MHHQ and face the others. Signas would probably court martial me, and Axl definitely wouldn't trust me again, but X would still be there. X would understand that I hadn't meant to hurt anybody. X would always be there for me.

I was getting ready to warp back, when something made me pause. I heard some strange voice in my head say, "_Zero…_"

I spun around, searching for where the voice originated. All I could see was the desolate plains and a sandstorm approaching. 'Must've been the wind. I'll have to find shelter or warp out soon.'

Then it hit me. The maverick that Sigma fought! The one he claimed had been me. If there was any truth to that story, then the place where we fought must be close. I decided to scour the surroundings for the hidden warehouse that might be the only hope for finding out my past.

It was pure luck when, a half-hour after I decided to search the area around the ruined village, that I came upon two metal doors embedded into a cliff wall. The village rested on top of the cliff and about a mile away, and the descent would have been too treacherous for any reasonably sane human to attempt. The villagers would have never known it was here unless they either climbed down the cliff, something that didn't seem likely, or walked along the top of the cliff until they found a path down, which there wasn't for miles in either direction. Using metal detectors to ascertain the position of the factory would have also been impossible due to the sheer amount of natural iron deposits in this valley. Someone had been careful to avoid detection when they set up shop here, now I just needed to find out who.

I studied the doors, but age and weather had not been kind. There was a faint outline of some logo of sorts, but it had been nearly sandblasted away. All I could see was a faint circle on both doors. I decided to open the doors, as standing outside wasn't getting me anywhere. I pushed, and with a considerable amount of effort, the doors separated with a mighty creaking. The sandstorm was coming soon, so I quickly shut the doors behind me and let my eyes adjust to the difference in lighting.

Wow. This place turned out to be a lot bigger on the inside than it looked. I searched for some sort of controls that would turn on the lights and thankfully found one just adjacent to the main entrance. Light flooded the room and immediately I could see some rubble where a fight had evidently took place. There were pieces of rock and metal strewn about the place. I noticed a deep gash in one of the walls that seemed like it had been made with a large blunt instrument. Then I saw a hole in one of the girders on the ceilings. Looking around I saw piece of metal that looked like it had been ripped out of place. I turned my eyes back towards the hole in the ceiling and noticed that one of the metal hand holds directly next to the hole had been forcibly ripped off. I continued looking around and noticed a metal pipe that had been slashed in two.

'Holy crap! This stuff was supposed to be super resistant to plasma. It would have taken quite a blow to cut it in two like this.' Leaving it behind I continued searching the warehouse.

Eventually, as I turned one of the corners I stepped on something. I looked down towards my feet and saw slivers of some sort of blue crystal. I picked some up and held it close. Suddenly I felt something in my head, like a weird tingling. I pressed my hand to my head and felt the covering for my control chip. My eyes bolted open as realization dawned on me. These fragments were the remains of my original control chip cover. It was then that I knew that Sigma had been telling the truth during our the 'Repliforce Incident.' We had fought before with the roles reversed. I had been the maverick that destroyed Garma's unit. I destroyed an entire village and all it's people. I nearly killed Sigma. 'But if it was true… why didn't Sigma kill me when he had the chance? It doesn't make sense.'

I continued searching, hoping that I would find some clues as to why I had been spared. I came upon an elevator that took me to what I could only assume was the top floor of the warehouse, directly above where Sigma and I fought. Finally, the elevator door opened, and I saw the top floor.

"Oh my god…" There, strewn about on the floor were the mangled robot bodies I had seen in my visions. "But…what are they doing here? How did they…"

"What do you think they're doing?"

I whirled, looking for where the voice had originated. I knew that this time, it had not just been in my head. I couldn't see anyone, but then the voice spoke again.

"Confused? Don't know where I am? I may not have been as good at artificial intelligence programming as my former partner was, but I did manage to create you. That has to count for something."

"Who are you?"

"Zero, you're breaking my heart. I'm your creator."

I couldn't believe my ears. "How is that possible? I was created decades ago, even before the first Maverick Uprising. Why have you been here this whole time? Why wouldn't you have come forward after all this time?"

"Well, you saw to that personally. Remember?"

"…Where are you?"

"Oh very well. Look over to your right. At the monitor."

I did as the voice said and saw the picture of a person silhouetted in the view screen. "What the… you're my…"

"Yeah, I lied about that. I'm not really your creator, but I was programmed to act like him. You just have to love evolving AI. But let's get back to you. You're wondering who I am, correct?"

I was speechless.

"Tsk…just like when I, or rather, your real creator activated you. You don't talk much do you? Very well, listening is good. Zero, I created you for a very specific purpose. Now, you're still doing what I made you for, so I commend you for that. However, you haven't fulfilled your programming in it's entirety, which disappoints me."

"…My…purpose? What was I created for?"

"Killing. More precisely, you were made to kill everybody, and everything. Now you've been doing a pretty good job of killing other 'reploids,' however, you really need to step it up son. You're only killing the bad ones, and I made you to kill everybody. Especially that buddy of yours."

Even though I was spellbound by this thing claiming to be the representation of my creator, that last statement made me pause. "What? What are you talking about?"

"I think you know. You've come close to fulfilling your original programming in the past, but you still haven't managed it. You haven't killed the one other person I specifically programmed you to kill."

"Who?"

"X."

I was stuck between being stunned and being furious. "What are you talking about? X is my friend. He is…"

"My enemy! I know what happened to the original, but as long as X is alive, so is he! In spirit, if that can be said about robots."

This last bit took me by surprise. "The original was…your enemy?"

"My, my, my. I didn't realize just how dim you really are. Surely you must have guessed who I am by now? There's only one person who would want the destruction of Megaman X."

That had been what I thought. "But…but Sigma couldn't have…"

"Ha ha ha! Sigma! That fool has his head in the right place, but he can't even beat that worthless Light-bot X. No, no. He couldn't even destroy X with that body I built for him. Pathetic fool. Although, I do have to commend him for keeping the virus alive and spreading for as long as he has. At least he did that right."

"But if you don't work for Sigma…then who?"

"It's sad. My name used to be feared world-wide. I used to be the greatest threat to humanity the world had ever known. Now, everybody has forgotten me. Sigma is the danger now. Well, I suppose I shouldn't keep you in the dark any longer, son." The word 'son' came out very sarcastically. All of a sudden, the front of the silhouette was illuminated and I could finally make out the features of the man who supposedly created me.

Had it not been for X's lecture, I would not have recognized the face in the monitor. However, thanks to X, I knew exactly who this was. Suddenly everything that the program had been saying made sense. I finally realized who the only other person on the planet was that would desire the destruction of Megaman X as much as Sigma would. And if what the program was telling me was true, then I was the most damned creature on the face of the Earth. If what it was saying was true, I was the bastard son of the devil himself. For there, staring at me with eyes that seemed to pierce through my heart, was the image of Dr. Albert William Wily, the greatest threat to the world that the 21st century had seen. "no…"

"Good, you recognize me. Well, got any words to say to your father? I don't think I could deliver them to him, but I'm sure he would want you to say them regardless."

There was nothing that I could say. The sheer terror of what this implied was mind-numbing. "no no no…"

"Well, I'm glad I had at least this much of an effect on you. Although I didn't expect you to go totally brainless on me."

"No…this can't be…it isn't possible."

"Why it certainly is. You were the last creation of the late, great Dr. Wily. But if you don't believe me, why don't I show you some video?" Suddenly the image of the mad scientist was replaced with some surveillance footage of the very room I was in. It must have been old footage because the room looked newer and there weren't robot carcasses strewn about. "Now watch this next part carefully. I can assure you, it will be quite a show."

On the screen, the room was filled with robot masters, all surrounding a capsule, like the one X had been found in. I watched closely as I saw the one X called Bass talk to the real Dr. Wily. The sound quality was terrible, but it sounded like he was asking the doctor something, but Wily went into a rage and started yelling at Bass. Obviously they must not have been on good terms with one another, probably because Bass couldn't beat Mega Man. Bass could have throttled Wily, but then I saw that, instead, he looked as if he had been badly stung by someone he had wanted to please. I remembered that, even though they were primitive compared to X and I, the advanced robot masters of the 21st century; Bass, Mega Man, and Proto Man, among a few others; still had limited emotional capabilities and it angered me to see Wily acting that way to his creation.

Bass backed off and Wily continued fiddling with his control panel. After a few seconds he stopped and stared at the capsule. Then the capsule began to rise at an angle, so that it was at about a forty five degree angle when it stopped. The camera's angle was such that I couldn't see the inside of the capsule so I had to wait as it opened up and revealed its contents to Wily and the robots. After a few seconds, I saw a hand grab onto the side of the capsule as the robots backed up a few steps. It was still for a few seconds, with nobody moving or saying anything until, finally, Wily started talking. "After him! He is my nemesis. Our rivalry is what gives me motivation in life. Now go! Destroy him! That's an order!"

The tape paused, "hang on a sec will ya? I'm gonna get you a better camera angle so that you can really appreciate this."

The view suddenly changed and I finally saw the inside of Wily's capsule and the creation that would, evidently, destroy Mega Man.

I saw myself.

It was true. The program couldn't be lying. These tapes couldn't have been doctored like this. Then, suddenly, I was halfway across the room with my foot where the one called Shadow Man's head should have been. I had knocked it clean off its shoulders with a spinning kick. The other robots didn't move, they all looks of absolute shock on them. All except one. Bass immediately yelled out to the others that Wily was in danger and they all swarmed me.

The next few seconds were filled with carnage as I cut a swath through the robot masters. They couldn't even make a dent in my armor. The wolf that had been with Bass attacked me while Bass shot at me. He had actually managed to do some damage, but then I pulled the wolf in the path of his shots. He stopped and I hurled the wolf at him with enough force to slam into the wall behind him. At this point, there were few robots left that were still attacking me.

Throughout this whole sequence, Wily had stared at me. He had an astonished look on his face, but then it became a smile as he saw the last of his robots being torn to pieces. I must have forgotten about Bass and his wolf because I advanced on Wily next. He didn't even try to escape as I reached forward to put my hand around his throat and began to squeeze. Bass saw this and, rather than attack as I assumed he would have, he and the wolf warped out of the room. Wily struggled a little as he began to lose oxygen, but then the most chilling thing happened. He began to laugh as I held him up. There was only one other person I knew who laughed like that, Sigma. But this surpassed even Sigma. This laugh was one of a purer malevolence then what Sigma could have ever achieved. This laugh came from a madman who knew that, in the end, he was victorious. Suddenly I dropped him, and as he fell to the floor, I crushed his head between my fists. Then, as I turned around, I saw my face. It was Wily's. Or rather, it was the madness that he had conferred to me, that I saw in my face.

The video stopped. "Well, there you have it. You are certifiably the last creation of the greatest madman the world has ever known. Congratulations. Would you like to see what happened after that?"

I couldn't speak. It was too much.

"I'll take that as a 'yes.' Now, unfortunately, there weren't any cameras to record your next spree of death, so I had to take the information from your memory banks when you were brought back here after your deactivation. It's going to look a bit like the Blair Witch Project, but you'll get the gist of it."

When the screen came into focus again, I could see that I was now in a suburb somewhere. There were houses here and there, but fewer as I continued walking. I appeared to be at the outskirts of a city. I was about to ask why I was being shown this, when three beams of light materialized into three figures standing about twenty five yards away from me. I immediately recognized two of them as Mega Man and Proto Man, but it took me a few seconds to make the connection that the one in the purple wings was Bass. Mega Man also seemed somewhat different as he was wearing some sort of red armor that had what appeared to be a small jetpack on the back of it. It appeared that Proto Man had no such upgrade, which would probably put him at a disadvantage if they planned on fighting me. Now I realized why Bass had left when he saw that I was killing Wily, he knew I was too much for him, he had to get only other people he knew that could help.

At any rate, Bass took to the skies while Mega Man and Proto Man stayed on the ground. They raised their busters at me and fired off a barrage of rounds. I saw the shots heading towards me and, instinctively, I raised my hands over my face. Turns out, I did the same thing in the video, the shots impacted, but I could tell, judging by the look on their faces, they hadn't done any damage whatsoever. They began to fire charged shots, no doubt to try to overwhelm me with firepower, but it wouldn't be. I absorbed and deflected nearly all of the shots they threw at me. However, I was now done with letting them hit me. I could hear Proto Man swear and yell out for them to get out of the way as I began to form my buster on my right arm. I fired a charged shot at the two on the ground, Proto Man dodging out of the way, but Mega Man not being so lucky. The shot didn't hit him directly, but it did graze him, causing him to be enveloped in a white light. When the light died, I could see Mega Man, back in his familiar blue, and a red robot dog that appeared to be in pain as I could see the scorch mark where I hit Mega Man's armor. I must have made the connection in the video as I fired another super-shot at the dog and ended up vaporizing it. The first casualty.

Mega Man screams at me, but it's Bass who reaches me first. Flying at what must have been full speed, he slammed into me with as much force as he possibly could. It had been a good idea, but I was able to recover and fire my buster at point-blank range. I saw the same thing happen to him that had happened to Mega Man and his dog. I quickly fired off another shot at the wolf, but it managed to get out of the way quicker than the dog did. Bass, Proto Man, and Mega Man, all fired super shots at me, turning my attention away from the wolf as I used my dash thrusters to avoid their fire. I saw Proto Man clutching his chest as he and Bass said something to Mega Man. I unloaded a barrage of rapid fire shots that managed to bring Bass to his knees. Proto Man, however attempted to use his shield to block my withering assault. Unfortunately for him, the shield had never been exposed to firepower of this kind, and as I continued to fire, it ultimately snapped in two, allowing my shots to hit him.

Somehow, he managed to stay on his feet as he began to yell at Mega Man. Bass, also screaming something at Mega Man, got to his feet and walked over to Proto Man, who had fallen over, clutching his chest in obvious pain. As I watched this, Mega Man turned into a beam of light and warped away. The wolf stayed a moment, until Bass yelled at it, and then warped out as well. Bass got between me and Proto Man, but Proto Man brushed him aside and began walking towards me. I must have been curious as to what he was going to do so I began walking towards him as well. As we both approached each other, I could see that he started glowing green; he was readying another super-shot, which, even at this range, wouldn't be very effective against me. He said something as we got within arms reach of each other and then raised his buster to my chest and screamed at me. All of a sudden, a huge ball of plasma, much bigger than the super-shots they had been firing at me, came out of Proto Man's buster and impacted directly into my chest. I screamed out in pain as I reached towards Proto Man and took him by his neck in my hands. Surprisingly, his helmet, damaged in the fight, had been thrown off as he fired his last shot and I was able to see his full face. He looked at me with those blue eyes of his and sneered in my face. Screaming in rage, I flung him into the air. Even as I heard Bass yell something at me, I let loose a super-shot. In the final milliseconds before my shot impacted, I saw Proto Man close his eyes and he begun to whistle some sort of music; a second later, he was blown to pieces.

As tiny pieces of metal fell from the sky I looked over to where Bass now stood alone. He had a look of shock on his face, almost devoid of emotion as he began to say something. I began walking deliberately towards him as he continued his speech, slowly elevating his voice so that, by the time I was less than five steps away from him, he was yelling at the top of his voice. I see him charging both of his busters, but he made no move to even aim them at me. However, as I close the gap between us, I hear a loud noise emanating from him, and that's when I notice his buster is glowing a blinding white, bits of smoke coming from it. As abruptly as he did this I realized he had let the charge in his buster build up past the safeties that were built into it, causing him to overload his power-core as a result. He exploded in a blaze of hell-fire as I was caught in the blast. It took me a few seconds to recover and when I finally got to my feet, I continued walking away from the city, towards some unknown location.

Finally I saw what, at first glance, appeared to be a normal house, however on closer inspection, there appeared to be some sort of egg-shaped metallic structure off to the side. Then I noticed the several figures standing in front of the house. Mega Man was there, along with some yellow-haired girl, a green, slightly spherical robot with a bazooka, a larger robot with a tremendously over-sized left arm, and a bird and something that looked like a briefcase with eyes and feet. They were all ready for a fight. The green one fired it's bazooka at me. I let the missile impact with me, bringing my hands over the hole in my chest armor as the only protection I would offer myself. It did no damage. Mega Man advanced towards me and yelled something. He proceeded to aim his buster for another round, this next round, however, three of them participated in. Mega Man fired a charged shot at me, while the green one fired another round, and the large one sent a beam on energy from his hand at me. I stood still for a minute as the fire approached me and then used my hand to cut through Mega Man's shot like a scythe. I dashed out of the way of the energy beam and came up to Megaman before he could even move. I grabbed him with one arm and flung him into the bazooka round. As he fell to the ground, he twisted in pain as fluids leaked out of him. The girl screamed as she ran over to him.

As I was about to shoot him again, the bird and the other robot attacked me. They got a few shots in due to my surprise, but I quickly eliminated them with a few shots each. Then the girl attacked me with a buster, rapidly firing plasma shots into the weak point of my chest armor. I put a hand over my wound to protect it and, with a scream of rage kicked Mega Man towards her. She managed to get out of the way and Mega Man landed in a heap near the large one. I then watched as the girl bridged the distance between us and then, just as she got to within arms distance, I struck. I plunged my fist into the girl's chest and saw it emerge from the other side. Mega Man saw this and yelled, but I was focused on the girl's face. I stared intently at her face, a mask of surprise, for a second, and then did the same thing I did to Proto Man. I flung her into the air and fired, atomizing her.

I heard Mega Man coming long before I turned to see him running towards me. He was infuriated, his face twisted in an unholy mixture of rage and grief. We began to fight. I had expected a quick and easy fight, but it was not to be. He had turned into something entirely different from what he had been. Every shot I fired at him, he somehow dodged, and every shot he fired I had to dash out of the way. The large one tried to help Mega Man, but the firepower we were putting out caused him to back off. I managed to hit him in the shoulder, but his shot hit my open wound. Eventually we stopped using our busters and resorted to more personal combat. He hit me with an uppercut that nearly knocked me off my feet, but I managed to get my hands on his neck. I was about to take his head off with a punch, when he jammed the point of his foot into my open wound. I fell, coughing up liquid while he got to his feet. I quickly got up and fired a charged shot just as he also fired one at me. He managed to dodge my shot causing it hit him in the back, but I was not able to get out of the way and the shot went right into my weak spot. We both stood facing each other as we charged our busters. Slowly, deliberately, we both aimed at each other and fired our blasts. The two shots met one another and blazed bright blue as they burned into each other. I fell to my knees once more, my hand still clutched over my wound, and my eyes getting blurry. I saw Mega Man fall over, unmoving. The final release of energy must have been his last. He was undoubtedly dead. I closed my eyes and groaned in pain as I tried in vain to stand up again.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw the large one kneeling over Mega Man's body, his face twisted in pain. Then he stood and looked at me and the pain on his face was replaced with rage at me, the one who killed his friends. He walked to where he was standing just in front of me. I craned my head up to look at him as he yelled in my face. Then, though my vision was getting worse by the second, I saw his hand ignite in blue flames as he raised it above his head. He was going to cut me in two. My vision finally faded into darkness as I saw him begin his downward swing, and then there was nothing.

"Whew…close call."

I suddenly came back to reality. I was back in the warehouse on the top floor, along with the twisted bodies of the robot masters, the capsule that had been my birthplace, and the program that was the last vestige of Dr. Wily talking to me. I had gotten so involved with what I had seen that I had actually believed that I was experiencing the blows and shots that Mega Man and I had exchanged. "How… how did I…"

"Survive? Well, by all rights, you shouldn't have. However the surveillance footage shows that, shortly after you blacked out, Duo brought you back here and put you in your stasis capsule, from which you would eventually awaken, thirty or some odd years later. And that is where another character enters the story. You'd know him well, he's been your enemy for years."

"Sigma."

"Correct! I have surveillance of that fight you two had, but I believe old Sigma showed you that already. Yes, somehow during the final part of your fight, you refrained from killing him when you had the perfect opportunity. I wondered why for a very long time Zero. However, after meeting him myself, I learned that he now carried the virus that I, or rather, Dr. Wily had originally made for you. When you got sucker-punched in the head by Sigma, you somehow transferred the virus to him. For some reason, you rebelled against the virus' control over you and you somehow managed to override it. The thing is, it's still there. It always has been and always will be, as long as you exist."

"But…but I can't…I don't…I'm not a…not a maverick."

"Ha! Of course you're not. Mavericks kill humans, and sometimes maverick hunters. No, the mavericks were created when Sigma needed a purpose for killing humans and creating some sort of reploid utopia. No Zero, you are definitely not a maverick. I made you to kill everything."

"No…I can't…I'm not some mindless killer. I fight for a purpose. To defend."

"Tell that to my decomposed corpse. It's right over there. I'm sure it'd believe that. Zero, the problem I didn't foresee with you was that your personality would develop in that capsule. That's probably why you fought against the virus way back when. You have an incredibly strong will, just like Bass did. I have a penchant for programming those, it seems. What you need is a hyper dose of the virus, just like you almost got during the 'Eurasia' incident as you like to call it. You remember what happened when you came into contact with the virus then right? How it improved you, made you stronger, made you a better killing machine? What you need is enough of the virus to totally subdue that darn will of yours. Of course, that shouldn't be too much of a problem."

Worried, I quickly asked, "what do you mean by that?"

"I think you know already Zero." This voice did not come from the Wily simulation. I quickly looked around to see where it came from. I didn't have to look far. Standing about five yards or so directly behind me was Sigma, garbed in the same armor he had worn while still in command of the Maverick Hunters. "Hello Zero. Surprised to see me?"

"You. You knew, didn't you? About all this?"

"Well, not at first. I learned it during the X-Hunter incident, when I tried to turn you into a maverick drone. I saw your memories and I realized what you really were. Then during the 'Eurasia' incident, I came back here and met with the good Dr. on how to get you to join me. Unfortunately for us both, you did not succumb to our efforts and you were almost destroyed after my defeat."

"Yes. Luckily I was able to send out some scavenger robots to gather your parts and fix you up. I only wish Dr. Wily had seen fit to make me the programmer he was, then I could have done something about your personality instead of letting go back to help your little friend. After a while, I was beginning to give up hope that you'd ever become what you once were."

"But then, a miracle happened. The advent of next-gen reploids, like your friend Axl."

"What about them? How do they factor into this?"

"Reploids that could change appearance at will utilizing DNA from thousands of other reploids, including yours truly. When the people behind the creation of the copy reploids were gathering DNA, they thought it would be a good idea to include my DNA from back before I had met you Zero. However, this was a fatal flaw on their part. Because, up until that point, I had been the main carrier of the virus for years. Knowing my systems intimately, the virus quickly took residence in all the reploids that had been built with even the smallest portions of my DNA. And don't believe all that bit of being able to go maverick at will. The virus is more powerful then they know; as soon as they are infected it stays with them, forever. Just like you Zero. All you need is a booster shot." And with those final words, Sigma began walking towards me.

I quickly drew my saber, ready for a fight. "I don't think so, I'm still better than you even on your best day."

This didn't seem to deter him though. "True enough. However, it's not just me you'll be fighting." All of a sudden more Sigmas walked out of the shadows. Copy reploids.

As they started to draw close, I leapt into action. Like a spinning top, I cut through a few of them right away. They may have had superior numbers and a more advantageous environment, but for some reason they weren't attacking me as much as they should have. All of a sudden, one of them was able to grab me from behind and put his hand directly over the covering of my control chip. I felt a brief flash of pain as I spun around and cut him in two. For some reason, I began to feel strange after he had put his hand over my helmet. It was enough to make me pause long enough for another Sigma to do the same thing. There wasn't as much pain this time and for some reason, when I destroyed this Sigma, my senses seemed to be going dull. I turned behind me and sliced another one in two, but then several grabbed me at the same time. This time I could see their hands as two of them held me down. Their hands were black, but they were not painted black, nor was the metal used to make them black. No, there seemed to be some sort of black aura around them, and as they touched me I could see that aura starting to seep into my systems. They were giving me that booster shot they mentioned. I had to do something quick before I got too much of the virus. Back during the 'Eurasia' incident, I came into contact with the virus and, unlike every other reploid, it made me better. I decided to test if that was still true now. I grabbed two of the Sigmas and smashed their heads together so hard that it would be impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. Leaping to my feet I turned and grabbed the final Sigma by the head, snapped it to one side, then another, and then finally ripped it off.

Standing over the bodies of the copy reploids, I clutched my head. I could now hear a droning noise over my own consciousness. My mind was feeling sluggish, despite the fact that my body was faster and stronger than usual. "No…must fight. Not…a…maverick."

"I told you, you're not a maverick. You're more than that; you're my demon, created to destroy the world, those three directives should be putting your brain through the ringer right about now, am I right?"

I made no noise to indicate anything to Wily as I fell to the ground. I was too busy trying to fight the turmoil in my head.

'_**DESTROY, INFECT, SURVIVE**_'

'No! I can't do that! I won't be a pawn in this game!

'_**DESTROY, INFECT, SURVIVE**_'

'Please! I don't want….

'_**DESTROY, INFECT, SURVIVE**_'

'stop…'

'_**DESTROY, INFECT, SURVIVE**_'

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!" I screamed clutching my head in pain. I had managed to gather what little strength I could and was able to make the virus a smaller presence in my head, but I could still hear it. I stood and realized that I had been unconscious for hours fighting that menace. That's when I heard another voice.

"Zero."

I turned around and just about cried out in relief. It was X. He had come. He hadn't lost faith in me. He would help me overcome this. That's when I noticed the hollow look on his face.

"You killed them. You killed all of them."

Stunned, I looked down at the Sigma bodies. They were now the bodies of the robot masters, Proto Man, Bass, the girl, and Mega Man. I looked back at X as I could feel my head starting to throb. "X, I'm sorry. Please, let me explain."

"You killed my family. You were the one that infected Sigma, weren't you? You're the whole reason for all of this fighting. You're to blame for all the suffering and the countless deaths, aren't you? ANSWER ME!"

I felt tears running down my face. The pounding in my skull was growing louder and louder. "X…it wasn't my fault. Wily made me with a virus. It…"

"All the suffering in the world, from you. And it won't stop. It won't ever stop, until you are gone from it." X pointed his buster at me and began charging.

I felt the pounding in my skull reaching a deafening crescendo. "X, please. I… I thought I was your… friend."

X's only action was to put a look of disgust on his face. "Die demon!" He fired at me.

I blacked out.

---

"Hello?"

"Is anybody there?"

"Where am I?"

The last thing I remembered was X finding me in Wily's base and firing on me. Now however, I was someplace…else. There was darkness everywhere, I could barely make out my hand in front of my face. Then I could see a shaft of light emerge in front of me. I noticed a figure in the light, and I began to make my way to it. However, I had only taken a few steps when, against all the laws of physics, I was standing less than a few feet away from my target. Now I could see who had been in the shaft of light clearly, and I wasn't too happy about it. "Wily."

"Not quite."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm the virus that Dr. Wily programmed you with."

Now it made sense. "Then…we are…"

"In your head, to be perfectly honest. I've always been here, but I'm glad you could join and maybe chat for a while."

"How have you always been here? Why didn't the virus scanners at MHHQ pick you up?"

"Your scanners were designed to pick up aberrant pieces of code that would equate to my presence in them. My presence, in you however, is anything but aberrant. They would never have detected me. I believe you said it yourself when you were talking to X the other day. I am an essential component of your systems that cannot be removed without effectively destroying your personality."

"That can't be true. The fact that we are two separate entities within my mind means that we can be separated."

"Ha! I'd like to see someone try. I'm so engrained in your code that it would take a genius on the level of Dr. Wily himself to separate me from you without what makes you you dying in the process. And besides, who would want to try? After all, for all they're concerned, you're just another Maverick. Hell, even X wants you destroyed, you saw how he reacted when he found out you killed his family. No, nobody cares about your survival now. You might as well just give in and let me take over. Just like all those years ago."

"No, I can't believe this is my destiny. To be the one who destroys the world. That is not what I choose for myself."

"Zero, this stopped being about free will long before even you or I were created. It is fated that Dr. Wily and Mega Man will forever battle one another. It's the same fight now, just with different representations of the characters. And besides, I can make you do it, now that I have regained the strength lost to me when you infected Sigma. This may be your mind, but I have the upper hand."

"We'll see about that." I lit my saber and swung harder than I'd ever done before. However, for all of my strength, the saber stopped just centimeters from his head.

"Tsk tsk, Zero. You know virtually nothing when it comes to computer coding. You can't just violently attack a problem like this." With greater speed than I had thought capable of him, he grabbed my saber arm and ripped it out of it's socket. "You have to know where to strike." He then took my saber in his hand and cut off my other arm at the elbow joint. "You have to be surgical." Before I could move to get out of the way, the saber cut into my boot and continued on, leaving me with only one leg to stand on.

I managed to react in time to prevent my other foot from being lopped off, but then I promptly fell over as I was now horribly off balance. Using what remained of my arm, I managed to roll myself over and look at the manifestation of the Maverick…no that wasn't the right name. Zero Virus would be more appropriate. It was now standing above me, my saber held in it's hands, readying a strike that would impale me through my chest. "You…you can't kill me. Without me, you'd…"

"I'm well aware of what would happen Zero. I'm not stupid. You won't die, you'll just be…asleep for a while. After I have fulfilled my mission, maybe I'll bring you back, lord knows I'll need someone to talk to." And with that he plunged the saber into my chest. I howled in pain louder then ever before; not because of the pain of the saber, but because I had the knowledge of what would come with this. The destruction of everything. I was responsible for it, and I couldn't do a thing about it.

Maybe it had been my choice to investigate the circumstances behind my creation. Maybe I had had the free will to say that my past didn't matter and to focus on my future instead. Maybe I knew that I should have let some secrets stay buried. But it wasn't free will that would make me do this. It was fate. It was my fate as the last creation of a man who wanted to destroy the world. And even I couldn't fight that.

I blacked out one final time. This time however, I would not be coming back.

---

Space…

A lone figure, sitting in a meditative pose, suddenly jerked its head back and gasped in shock. "No…" With that, it began flying towards a distant bright spot.

* * *

End of Chapter 8


	9. Chapter 9: The Beginning of the End

Chapter 9: The Beginning of the End

* * *

21XX: New Tokyo, Maverick Hunter Headquarters (MHHQ)

X walked into the storage bay. He had been running down the list of things he needed to do before he met up with Signas to begin organizing the battle. "Yo, Douglas! You in here?"

There was a loud clang and the sound of a very loud voice swearing on the other side of a hover-speeder. Douglas got off of the ground rubbing his head and then noticed X was looking directly at him. "Oh, X! Hey, how's it going?"

"Good. You look like your having some fun."

"Ugh, all the guys in the 11th wanted me to personally go over their ride chasers before you guys left today. I just have a few more to go, but it can wait a few minutes. What did you need?"

"I was just wondering where the programs for my armor sets are. I was going to take one to use during the fight."

"Oh! Okay, yeah they're stored in the main computer. Which one were you going to use?"

"Well, I'm not sure what I'll be going up against yet, so better go with the Falcon armor."

"Alrighty, now just give me a few seconds here." Douglas began fiddling with the controls on the computer. Eventually he got to the section of files that held the data for X's armor pieces. He activated the files and X suddenly disappeared in a flash of bright light. When the light dimmed, X was standing in his Falcon armor. "Well, that should do it. You need anything else while you're here?"

"No. Thanks Douglas, but I'll be fine with this. With all of the other hunters acting as my back up, I don't think that I'll personally take much damage. I'll just have to watch out for two or more of the mavericks attacking me at once, but even then, I should be okay."

"Sounds good X. Well, back to the grease pits for me. See ya' later X."

"Later Douglas." X turned to leave but paused a moment as he walked past the computer. He reflected on the fact that, stored on this computer, was the last legacy of his father. These were the tools he had used to ensure peace countless times. Hopefully he would have no further need for them. He turned and walked out of the room.

---

He arrived at the training room to get a status report from his lieutenant in the 17th. After briefly going over the report he felt that his unit was ready. He went on to go over the status reports of all the other units and then met with Signas for a final conference before they were to address the other hunters.

"So, I take it you reviewed the status reports from the other commanders already?"

"Yup. And, while most of them aren't operating at peak performance, it seems that they are all sufficiently combat ready."

"Excellent. Are you prepared to address the hunters?"

"Yeah, I think so. You just want me to give them the low-down on the plan, right?"

"Correct."

"Alrighty then." X walked out of Signas' office and proceeded to head to the gymnasium, the only room large enough to accommodate all of the hunters at once. Stepping into the room he could immediately see how much of an effect seeing him had on the other hunters. They had been nervously chatting amongst themselves, but as soon as X walked in, in full armor no less, they had shut up and stood straight. He was legend here. The only survivor of every single maverick uprising and, technically, the 'father' of their race. If X had not been himself, even he would have found it impressive. As it was, he was filled with apprehension about today's events. He took a deep breath and began. "Well then. I take it you all know why were here?"

Someone towards the back said, "I was told there would be pie and punch!" Everybody let out a laugh.

X smiled a little as Signas groaned and rolled his eyes. Humor was good for the hunters, X thought. It would keep things from getting too bleak. "It's actually punch and pie, but I'll let it slide this time." This caused a much bigger laugh from the hunters. "But unfortunately, we are going to have to get serious now. You all know that Sigma has challenged us to a final showdown at the ruins of Old Tokyo. I think that this may be the last time, but it will certainly not be easy. Now, I'm sure you've been briefed on the attack plan by your unit commanders so I'm just going to go over the basics of it."

A map of Old Tokyo appeared on the monitor behind X. "We will engage the mavericks and attempt to surround them. Seeing as how there will only be eight of them, plus Sigma himself, this should not be too difficult to accomplish. When we have the mavericks in a circle, we are going to have the 8th fly over and drop charges into their cluster. The 8th will take one more pass over the mavericks; however, on the second pass they will drop smoke bombs and flares. This will be the signal for the 11th to make their run. Now, when the smoke bombs and flares are dropped, the hunters will have to make an opening on opposite sides of the maverick cluster for the ride chasers to get through. I realize this is a complicated maneuver, but if we do it right, Sigma and the other mavericks won't know what hit them. They think they have the advantage, but they don't know we'll be using different tactics. After the ride chasers plough through the mavericks, the rest of the hunters will go in all guns blazing and mop up the rest of the mavericks."

"Now, the 17th and 0th unit will make up the initial charge and will set themselves on opposite sides of the Mavericks. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th will accompany them on either side. The 6th and the 7th will then move in to cover the third side, while the 9th will move in to cover the final side. The 9th will have to be the first to move when the smoke bombs go off, followed by the 6th and 7th as the 11th is going to go through the mavericks at that point in time. When that is finished, the 12th will move in where the 9th was. At this time we can't effectively place the 10th unit anywhere until we know exactly where we will be fighting. My advice to you guys is to wait until we engage in combat and then find a place where you can get some good shots in. I am extremely loath to send in the 13th and 14th but seeing as how we need every hunter we can get, you guys are coming with. Just try to be careful and don't get too close to the fight."

"Well, that's all I can say about that. I'm sure I don't need to reiterate this, but if everyone plays their A-game, and is careful to boot, you'll probably come home after this. I don't want to lie to you guys, there will be casualties, there always are, but hopefully they will not be too great. Now I suggest you all take this last hour before we head out to take care of any unfinished business. Dismissed." And with that X stepped away from the podium, to watch as the hunters filed out of the gym. He turned to look at Signas, who gave him a nod of approval, and then went off to prepare. He needed to say goodbye to someone as well.

---

"You have to go?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I'm the one they all look up to; if I didn't they wouldn't fight as well."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just worried about you. I'm afraid you might not come back."

"Hey now, I've been through every one of these and they haven't managed to do me in yet. I'm just worried about the other hunters, these could be the last hours for many of them."

"I know you've always survived, it's just that…this time, I don't know. Something's telling me that this time is going to be different. It's just a feeling, but I think it's true. Something terrible is going to happen and I don't think any of us will survive it. I know you have to fight, but please, be careful. Come back to me."

"I will."

"X…I love you."

"I love you, Alia. Don't worry, I'll be back."

The two reploids held each other.

As infatuated as they were with each other, those three words had remained unsaid for far too long. Both were worried that their work would get in the way of anything that might grow between them. Now, however, it seemed like a weight had been lifted off of them as they continued to their embrace, just sharing each others presence. It seemed unfair, though, that this should only come at an incredibly uncertain time such as this. She would be safe wherever she was, while he had to go to fight the devil himself.

She saw that he was savoring this moment of tranquility and it made her frustrated that he had to be the one that fought. He had told her many times that he had been built to have a peaceful existence, but then she had always questioned him on why he had to fight. Why him, when there were many others who were far more willing? He had told her because it was his destiny. Now she realized the truth, he was his father's son, he fought for moments like this; moments where he could be himself. Moments of peace. Sighing with the knowledge of the sacrifice he was making, she did her part, by holding him even closer.

All too soon, though, he let go, and she followed suit. No more words were spoken between the two. Looking at her with sincere appreciation, he turned and left her room. She watched him go, silent tears running from her eyes.

---

It was a barren wasteland that the hunters landed at. Old Tokyo, once one of the busiest cities of the 20th and 21st centuries, was covered in dirt with sparse vegetation growing here and there. After Mt. Fuji had erupted, everything had been buried in volcanic ash that was several dozen feet thick. The city had been evacuated prior to the catastrophe but no one had attempted to build there and resettle ever since.

All of a sudden, dozens of beams of light streaked downwards and, upon contact with the ground beneath them, coalesced into the forms of maverick hunters. X got to the front of the group. "Now we wait for them."

No sooner had he spoken, then another group of light beams crashed to the ground, forming eight normal looking reploids, and one Sigma. The other hunters looked ready to pounce into action but X held up his hand, signaling them to wait a moment. Sigma did the same to the other reploids. X and Sigma stared at one another and began to walk towards each other.

When they were within speaking distance of one another, they stopped. "You do know you're going to lose, right Sigma? You are facing the combined forces of the Maverick Hunters. Even with your best generals on your best day, you can't win."

"X, this long ago ceased being about winning or losing. It's all about you and I. I'm trying to kill you, and you keep on killing me. I'm just going to take down as many of you as I can."

X looked his adversary up and down. "I see you've got yet another new body."

"Yes, and you are using an older armor. Feeling nostalgic?"

"I just like to be prepared. For any situation that might arise."

"Trust me, you aren't prepared for what will happen today."

"You keep saying that something is going to happen today. What is it?"

"The apocalypse."

X narrowed his eyes. "You said something about Zero. How much do you know?"

"I know about his recent episodes, and the fact that he's AWOL. I also know where he went."

"What! How?"

"X, I was there when he was found. I was the one who found him. I know where he is."

"Then tell me."

"He's visiting the remains of his birthplace."

"Where is that?"

"I know you want to kill us and go find him. By the time you finish with us you won't need to find him. He'll have found you."

X looked about ready to blow up in Sigma's face, but he kept his cool. "I think we're done talking. Unless, of course, you want to tell me who your spy is?"

"If you haven't figured it out yet, you're blind. But yes, I think you're right about our conversation being over. Give me your best X, or I'll kill you before your time comes."

X turned and walked back towards the hunters. "Well, they aren't going to surrender." The other hunters let out a nervous chuckle. "Alright everybody, you all know the plan. Hit 'em fast and hit 'em hard."

The hunters charged at Sigma and his mavericks. Before X's eyes, he could see the copy reploids change into different forms. They continued morphing, until, standing next to the newly resurrected form of Sigma, stood eight more Sigmas, each one a model that X had fought before. X wasn't the only one being nostalgic today. X yelled a battle cry as he went straight for the one in the middle.

---

Signas stood atop a nearby cliff at his mobile command station. He was using a pair of electro-binoculars to observe the battle as it was happening. "They have turned into copies of Sigma in his different forms. However, the hunters have almost fully surrounded them. 8th unit, get ready to commence bombardment. 10th unit, have you positioned yourselves for clear shots."

"Affirmative."

"Then commence fire as soon as the 8th drops the first cluster of bombs."

"Roger."

X's little conversation with Sigma had bought them a few extra minutes, but the 10th had been positioned a little too hastily for Signas' taste. Being comprised of mainly snipers with high powered mag-rifles, however, had forced them to wait until the area of combat was established before they could get into position. Signas hoped that the speed would not be a hindrance to the battle.

Signas looked to the skies as he began to see the vague forms of flying reploids of all types making their way towards the battle. "Excellent," he said as he observed the explosive payloads the 8th unit would soon be dropping on the mavericks heads. So far everything was going absolutely as planned.

Then it happened. Signas didn't notice it at first, but the 8th dropped it's bombs too soon. Watching through the binoculars, his super-processor calculated the trajectory of the bombs as they fell. "What the…"

The bombs landed directly in the middle of the 7th unit with a few hitting the sides of the 2nd and 4th. He was just about to contact the leader of the 8th to ask what went wrong, when he heard a loud crack through the air. Then he felt as if something had violently entered his body and torn itself out again. "Oh god…" he muttered as he began to fall to his knees. Instantly, he knew what was going on. Mavericks had infiltrated the hunters and were now sabotaging the operations. There was nothing he could do as he watched holes appear in the technicians that ran from their consoles to try to aid him. He reached his hand to turn on his communicator. If he couldn't help those around him, he would at least do something to help the other hunters. "X…come in…"

---

X hadn't been watching the bombs fall as they were released by the eighth. He just knew that they would be coming soon. Sooner than he had expected, he felt a tremendous shockwave behind him. He quickly turned around, expecting one of the Sigma's to have tried to ambush him, and was met instead with a sight that made his blood run cold. The 7th unit had been almost completely annihilated. He heard a sound as loud as a thunderclap in his ears and then saw a dozen hunters fall to the ground, holes in their control chip coverings. All of a sudden, he heard more noise and more hunters fell, dead.

A faint signal came from his communicator. "X…come in…"

"Signas! What the hell is happening?"

"Mavericks. The 8th and 10th…mavericks…"

X realized what Signas was saying. They had been fooled into believing that it would be this easy. Sigma's spy must have told him the plan, so he infected the units that would cause the hunters the most caualties. "Signas! Hold tight, I'll be there soon."

"No…too late for that. You have to stop them. You're our last hope."

"Signas…you…you just."

X could hear Signas coughing on the other end of the comm. "Yes, X, I'm aware I just used a contraction. It doesn't matter anymore. You've got to find some way to get to cover, or else the snipers will tear you to shreads." Signas coughed again, instinctively trying to get rid of the leaking internal fluids that were building up in his chest cavity. "Go X! You're in charge now."

X could hear some other voices coming from Signas' communicator. Mavericks, finishing the job.

---

"Go X! You're in charge now."

"Well, well, well…if it isn't the boss of the Maverick Hunters himself. It was a bad idea for you to come here."

Signas rolled over and saw three mavericks pointing busters at him. The thought that he was going to die kept flashing in his head. He reminisced on his predecessor at the Maverick Hunters. Dr. James Cain. The man who found X and created reploids based off his design. Cain had died as the head of the Hunters, a hero in many ways, and was mourned by all. There would be nobody to mourn Signas' passing. The only mention he would get would be in the casualty report. His life would be reduced to a foot note in history.

But, he was not dead yet, and while he lived he could still live by his choices. And he certainly did not choose to die this way, at the mercy of mavericks. He lifted his body up and faced his attackers. He activated the detonation sequence that would overload his core, causing a small nuclear explosion, vaporizing everything within a dozen meters. He then looked them dead in the eyes and said, "likewise."

It took less than a second. Signas, like Dr. Cain before him, died a hero.

---

X had heard the voices on Signas' side. He also heard Signas' last reply before the transmission was abruptly cut off. The explosion he noticed in the distance followed directly afterwards. X realized what it signified. Signas' last act as a true hunter. Slowly, as if disconnected from all the chaos happening around him, X activated his communicator and opened a channel to all available hunters. "Attention all hunters, this is commander X…Signas is down. As of right now, I am taking charge of this offensive. All hunters are to pull back and find adequate cover. 11th and 12th units, I want you here ASAP, we'll need a diversion to give us time to get safe."

X heard replies from most of the units that he knew were still on his side. Of course, he had excluded the 8th and 10th from his channel, but neither the 11th nor the 12th answered him. "11th, 12th, do you copy?"

Once again, he got nothing from the communicator to indicate they had heard him. Then he heard Griffin's voice. "Commander…ambushed. 10th gunned most of us down. Barely any left. Didn't get the ride armors though. They went to take out the snipers."

"Do you need any assistance?"

"Negative…just, clear the way for what's left of us."

"Roger that. All right people, let's move!" X heard the faint sound of about a half-dozen ride chasers bearing down on them. Nowhere near what they had hoped for, but considering the situation, a god send.

Unfortunately, the Sigma copies knew what was happening as well. Most of the copies were too slow to evade the fire sent at them by the ride chasers, but X knew several would be relatively unscarred. "Not if I have anything to do about it." Using the Falcon Armor's incredible speed he managed to leap on the back of the copy of Sigma's original form. "You're not real," he snarled at the copy as he jammed his feet into the back of Sigma's knees. The Sigma copy fell as X pushed himself off and used his dash thrusters again, this time aiming for the second copy. Suddenly it became apparent why he had done what he had; Griffin was on a collision course with the Sigma copy. X could feel the explosion as both Griffin and the Sigma clone were destroyed in the blast.

Unfortunately, X's target had seen this and resolved not to be taken down so easily. The copy sent balls of energy sailing towards X, but X's speed enabled him to dodge all the attacks. As X unleashed the charge shot he had been saving up, however, the copy disappeared. Fortunately, X had learned the first time what that signified, and was prepared when the Sigma copy reappeared directly over, metallic claws extended. The copy charged and X let off a shot. The shot hit, but the copy kept on towards X. It grabbed X's throat with it's left hand and got ready to impale his head on the razor sharp claws with his right hand. "Any last words?"

X just smiled and said, "crushah', crushah'…"

The Sigma copy was puzzled until he was suddenly compressed between two tremendous forces. He looked to his sides and saw that two Chimera ride armors had pinned him between their fists. His grip on X loosened and X unleashed a fully charged shot into the clone's head, vaporizing it. X looked at the hunters in the ride armor. "Thanks for the assist there guys. Did your unit take care of the 10th?"

"Yes sir!"

"Good, at least that problem's been taken care of." X looked around the battle field; so far, the first, second, third, and sixth clones had been destroyed. Now for the rest of them. "Let's go wipe up the rest of these mavericks."

---

Douglas had to admit, without the hunters around, it was almost ridiculously quiet in HQ. Which is why, when he heard the door to the storage bay open, and a figure walk in, he was a little surprised. "Must be the next shift." Absorbed as he had been in his work, he had lost track of time, something that happened all too often. However, he checked his chronometer, and discovered that the next shift wasn't due for at least another hour. He maneuvered his way out from underneath the machinery he had been working on to see who decided to drop by for a visit. What he saw next really surprised him. "Axl? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with the other hunters? Does Signas know you're here?"

"You talk too much." Was all Axl said.

Douglas suddenly keeled over in pain, as he felt a mag-round go through his body. Clutching the wound, he raised his head up and looked at Axl, the barrel of the gun pointed directly between his eyes. "Why…are you doing…this?"

"It's nothing personal. It's destiny." Axl let off another shot. Douglas' limp body hit the floor. Axl walked over to his goal. "There's my baby. I'll bet you want to be let loose don't you? Well, far be it from me to deny you." Axl got on the Omega and powered it up. "Let's roll."

---

Alia had been sitting by herself when she heard, and felt the explosion. Emergency klaxons blared as the PA system announced, "Emergency, mavericks in head quarters; emergency, mavericks in head quarters."

Alia was already on her feet and running to the Surveillance Room, when the realization that there were no hunters left in HQ dawned on her. Sure she had been equipped with a buster, and her friends had weapons of their own, but there was no way they could fight against however many mavericks were now inside the base. She continued to the Surveillance Room anyways, to get a better grip on the situation at hand.

She got to the room, locked the door behind her, and quickly looked for points of entry. Surprisingly, there were no breaches in the outer walls of the HQ. The explosion had come from the storage bay. She saw the ruins of the door and a noticed an incredibly fast blur of motion on one of the other cameras. She rewound the camera's digital feed and played it slower. She gasped in surprise. Douglas' ride chaser, the Omega, was being driven by the maverick, who was now causing chaos in HQ. But it was who was riding the bike that surprised her the most. "Axl?!"

---

Layer had heard the alarm from her navigator consol. Immediately she unsheathed her beam rapier; there may not have been any hunters in the base, but that didn't mean they were defenseless. She reasoned that, if the reploids left at the base could arm themselves, they stood a chance. She ran down a hallway, making her way towards the Weapons Depot. Suddenly, she saw a ride chaser barreling down the hallway towards her. Stopping in her tracks, she dropped to the ground and covered her head, hoping that the bike would pass over her. To her surprise, however, the bike stopped right before it would have run her over. She leapt to her feet, ready to strike when she saw, "Zero?!"

Sure enough, the red hunter sat on the bike clear as day. "Layer, I'm glad you're here. We need to organize the others to track down where that maverick went to."

Layer was obviously shocked by this sudden development. She moved closer to him, unsure if she was really seeing what was in front of her. "They said you went AWOL…"

Zero just gave her a slightly cocky smirk. "Well, looks like I made it back right on time then. Come on, we've got to get moving."

Layer was just about to get on the bike with Zero, when all of a sudden, she heard her communicator go off. Layer turned away from Zero and listened as Alia's voice came through crying out, "Layer! It's Alia. That's not Zero. Axl's gone maverick and…" Alia's voice was cut off by a loud crack as the communicator, now shattered, fell to the ground.

Layer spun back towards Zero, but she now realized what Alia had meant. Where Zero had sat a moment before, Axl was now in his place, gun leveled directly at her. She froze, knowing she wouldn't be able to get her rapier out before he had the opportunity to shoot her. Axl sighed a bit as he began to speak. "Too bad about that, it would have been nice to have someone to talk to for a little while. Oh well, it would have only delayed the inevitable." Axl fired his gun and placed a mag-round directly through Layer's head. She collapsed to the floor with a thud. "Now for the rest of the base."

---

Alia could only watch the footage, stunned, and see her friend killed. There was nothing she could have done. Axl was S-class and there was no way her being there would have changed anything. She began sobbing into her hands, her fear at being discovered the only thing keeping her from making too much noise.

It was at this point that she remembered something else. She sat bolt upright and looked at the screens. "Pallette!"

---

Pallette was currently in the War Room, trying to contact the hunters that were currently fighting. Someone must have been jamming their transmissions however, probably the same maverick that was now inside HQ, because she couldn't reach Signas. If she could just get a message to the hunters, backup would be sent and this whole situation would be taken care of. However, every time she sent a message out, all she got was static.

Suddenly the door to the War Room was smashed open as a ride chaser barreled inside. She leapt behind her consol, drawing her gun out, but emerged as she saw Axl. "Oh Axl! Thank god you're here. A maverick has somehow gotten in. We need to find and stop him."

"Well, we're half-way there. I know where he is."

Pallette let out a sigh of relief. "Excellent. For some reason I can't get through to Signas. It's strange, almost as if…"

Axl, still sitting atop the ride chaser, leaned in her direction. "As if he were dead?"

Pallette, slightly unnerved by the strange suggestion from Axl, turned towards him. "…Yeah, how did you?"

"Well, if the battle is proceeding according to plan, he should be dead about now."

Shocked by his casualness Pallette asked, "what? What do you mean? What are you talking about, 'going according to plan?'"

Axl leaned back, resting his feet on the controls of the Omega, and crossed his arms behind his head. "Well, the 8th and the 10th both went maverick. The 8th is going to drop it's bombs directly into the cluster of hunters that makes up the 7th, and when that happens, the 10th is to fire directly on Signas and his command center. And, judging by the fact that you can't reach him, I'm pretty sure he's dead."

Pallette, obviously beginning to get seriously worried about her current situation asked, "but, how did the 8th and 10th get infected?"

Axl chuckled. "Oh that's easy! I did it."

At this revelation, Pallette found she couldn't move; for some reason she was frozen listening to him.

Axl brought his legs down and leaned forward again, getting closer to Pallette. "I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm a maverick. Have been for years. I'm also Sigma's spy. And guess what?"

Pallette was slowly backing away, disbelief written on her face. "What?"

Axl leapt off the ride chaser, landed in front of her, and clasped his hands around her head. "You're a maverick now too."

Pallette grabbed his hands and tried to struggle as she felt something strange enter her head. "Stop! What are you…ah…ahhh!"

Axl spoke as though he was trying to comfort a scared child. "Don't worry babe, it will all be over soon." Axl let her go, a smile on his face, and she fell to the ground, clutching her head. Then she began to convulse as her coding that made up her personality began to alter under the assault of the Maverick Virus. She screamed in pain and blacked out.

---

Alia watched, tears streaming down her cheeks, as Pallette was turned into a maverick in front of her eyes. Then she noticed Axl, looking directly into the camera. "Alia. I know you're watching this somewhere. You're lucky I'm out of time, but that won't save you. I've been preparing for this for quite a while now. There are explosive charges buried all over HQ set to go off when I press this little button here. I've also modified the EM shield so that nobody can warp in or out of HQ. You could try to escape, but I've got the last ride chaser and as soon as I'm out of range, I'm blowing this place sky high."

She saw Pallette begin to stir. Axl noticed it too and began to help her to her feet. Pallette's eyes were dull, glazed. None of the cheeriness and optimism that Alia knew so well was left inside of her. Axl turned back towards the camera and began to speak again. "Well, that's my cue. It was nice knowing you Alia. It is a shame, I really wanted to infect you with the virus as well; I'll just have to settle for this." The two got on the ride chaser and, with a blast of flames from the afterburners, were out the door.

Alia just stared at the monitors, still unable to fully believe what she had just witnessed. Then she got up and ran. Her head was in a fog and her eyes were blurry, but she still knew she needed to get somewhere where she could maybe survive the explosion. As she ran through the corridors, she saw the bodies of numerous technicians and other non-fighting reploids who had had the misfortune to get in Axl's way.

She managed to get to the Records Room, just as the room began to shake. The Records Room was close to the center of HQ and was built to withstand 9.0 earthquakes. Unfortunately, the explosions penetrated the interior of the room and, with the ground shaking from the shockwaves produced by the bombs, the giant, fire-proof filing cabinets began to fall over. Unable to get a firm grip on anything to right herself, she fell to the ground as one of the filing cabinets fell on top of her, crushing her underneath it. She could feel the pressure on her internal systems suddenly increase as another cabinet fell on her. Warning messages flashing in her vision, she blacked out.

---

X heard the shockwaves before he noticed anything else. He turned around and saw the smoke and flames from Maverick Hunter Headquarters. "No…" was all he could say. It had been a setup. Then his thoughts turned to something more alarming. "Alia!"

"Ha ha ha! Look at that X," the clone of Sigma's seventh incarnation gloated. "My spy has finished his job. This is the end of the Maverick Hunters!"

Had the Sigma clone refrained from calling X's attention away from the sight of the explosion, he might have been able to surprise X with an attack from behind. As it was, X spun around and unleashed the Falcon Armor's Giga Attack that he had been storing for a while. Bolts of plasma lashed at the copy as X continued to fire his buster at him. Eventually the sheer amount of super shots coming at it was too much and the copy exploded, leaving a slightly calmer X alone.

X decided that the hunters could probably hold their own against the rest of Sigma's troops. The 10th had been taken care of, and the 8th was being shot down with the 10th's mag-rifles. The 12th had ganged up on the fourth Sigma clone, and 0th and 17th had the fifth one on the ropes. That meant that there was only the eighth clone and Sigma's new body to deal with. "Dane, do you copy?"

"Yes sir. What do you need?"

"There's only two Sigma's left. I need you to finish the battle while I find out what the hell just happened at HQ. I'm trusting you with finishing off Sigma."

"Roger that sir. It should only be a matter of time now."

"Exactly. X out."

X activated his warp system and proceeded on his way to HQ. He was almost there when his warp beam was rerouted to directly outside the front door of HQ. "EM shield must have been reprogrammed." X smashed through the front door and was confronted by the sight of rubble everywhere. The building wouldn't last long; large sections of the base were missing. Quickly he weaved his way around the larger pieces of debris and looked for any survivors. He noticed that most of the reploids that were dead had other wounds on them that didn't look like they could have been caused by the explosion. X tried to concentrate as he quickly moved past all the dead. "Where would she have been?" X searched her room, his room, the surveillance room; all with no luck.

Suddenly, while hearing the klaxon still blaring the alert for a maverick attack, he had an epiphany. "Wait, if she had been in the Surveillance Room, she would have known what was going on. She probably tried to get to the sturdiest place in the HQ." Immediately he dashed towards the Records Room. Getting there within seconds, he noticed that this room had managed to withstand most of the explosions. Still, he knew that it wouldn't last if the rest of the building came down upon it. Opening the door, he called out, "Alia! Are you in here?"

He heard a very faint voice call out, "X?"

The voice came from underneath a pile of rubble and filing cabinets. X got to the other side and saw that Alia was pinned underneath the wreakage, a small pool of fluids was slowly growing around her body. "Alia! Alia, I'm here. It's going to be okay. I'm going to get you out of here."

Alia looked X in the eyes. "X…you came back."

X smiled and let out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah…don't talk. Save your strength."

She closed her eyes. "I…I think it's too late for me X. My internal systems have been compressed too far beyond capacity. It's only a matter of time."

X's smile faded as his eyes began to water. "No. Don't say that. I'll get you out of here. I've got to get you out of here."

Alia looked at X again, her eyes getting moist as well; a smile still on her face. "X…I love you, could you do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Give me one last kiss."

X removed his helmet,as it ws getting in the way, and the two shared a final kiss. Too soon for both, they had to stop. "X…I want you to promise me something. Don't remember me like this. Remember the good times, please. No matter what happens to me, I want you to live. Promise me that X."

"I promise Alia."

Alia smiled and closed her eyes. Then, slowly, the smile faded from her face. X carefully opened one of her eyelids. The only thing he saw was a lifeless shell staring at him. He closed her eyes and backed away, a look of disbelief on his face. Then his emotions tore to the surface. "NOOOO!!!" He screamed so loud, for so long, that he almost blew out his vocal processor from the sheer strain. He then fell to the ground and wept.

"X," said a familiar voice. "I'm sorry."

X's eyes widened as he immediately recognized the voice and got up. His face full of anguish as he stared at the other reploid. "You! Did you do this?"

The other reploid took a breath and sighed. "No. I didn't, even though you probably don't believe me right about now. I don't go around slaughtering innocents and blowing up buildings for fun X. I never have. I've only ever had a problem with you."

X was surprised by the tone in the other's voice. He was disturbingly calm; he had never acted like this before. "Why the hell should I trust you, maverick? Give me one good reason right now why I shouldn't tear you to shreds."

The other reploid looked towards the ground. "I'm not a maverick. I never have been."

X shook his head, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. "That's impossible. You've been with Sigma since…"

"Since the beginning, yes. In all that time I was never infected with the Maverick Virus. Now, if you are done questioning me can we please leave? This building is going to collapse any second."

X wanted to shoot him right there. He looked back at Alia's body. She wouldn't even get the decency of a proper burial.

"She wouldn't have wanted you to stay. I didn't know her, but I could tell that from what she said to you. Come on we have to get out of here."

Against his better judgment, X followed him out of the building. Once they were outside, they heard a massive shudder as the building sagged, and then finally came down upon itself. X's tears had finally stopped. "So, do you know who did this then, Vile?"

The helmeted reploid, clad in his original purple armor, turned back to X. "Yes, I do X, but you won't like the answer. It was Axl."

"What? That's impossible, Axl would never do something like this."

"Maybe not normally, however being infected with the Maverick Virus will do that to ya."

"I can't believe that. He was there, fighting Sigma, with me."

"Did you see that one of the members of his unit was missing?"

X realized what Vile was saying. "Oh god. A copy-reploid?"

"Precisely. The copy posed as him while the real one did this."

"Then, he was the spy?"

"Yup. And he has been for quite some time, ever since the 'Jakob' incident."

Realization hit X like a brick. "God, that's how Sigma knew to infect the 8th and 10th." X then angrily shouted "why? Why did you let it happen when you knew what they were going to do."

Vile calmly replied, "that Axl was the spy was the extent of my knowledge. Besides, if I had shown up on your door-stop trying to warn you about a trap, would you have listened?"

X's head fell; he knew Vile was right, but the pain was still with him. "But then, if, like you say, you hate me so much, why didn't you fight me with Sigma? Why aren't you fighting me now?"

"X, a guy can only hate for so long, and trust me, I've had a long time to think about what I'm doing right now. I hated you because you were naïve and childish. You didn't take being a hunter seriously and you didn't try to understand what it took to be one. Sigma once told me that you had the potential to change the world. I didn't believe him at first, that's why I wanted so desperately to defeat you. However, you have matured. And so have I, I guess. I don't hate you anymore, in fact, I would like it if we could be friends." Vile did something that X never thought he would do; he took off his purple helmet, revealing a face that looked remarkably similar to his own, complete with grey hair cut about medium length. After doing this, Vile smiled at X and nodded his head, then stuck out his hand towards X.

X was stunned by the confession, and the removal of barriers, coming from one of his worst enemies. X, tentatively raised his hand, and then took Vile's. Years of animosity and hatred faded away as X and Vile shared a moment of friendship. "So…where's Axl?"

Vile's voice now unmodified, he said, "my guess would be with Sigma."

X gasped in revelation. If Axl had gone maverick, he would have surely infected the other members of the 6th. "Oh no! The other hunters. Let's go!"

X activated his warp system. Vile put his helmet back on and followed close behind.

---

Lt. Commander Dane had been having a very bad day. A little more than twenty-four hours ago, he had learned that his commander had gone AWOL and that he would have to lead one of the most respected and looked-up-to hunter units into battle. Then, after the fighting had started, things just got worse as the 8th and the 10th units, both infected with the Maverick Virus, began to take down dozens of other hunters. Finally, X himself had left Dane in charge after some sort of explosion at the Maverick Hunter Headquarters had forced him to go investigate. However, things were starting to look up, as Sigma's forces had almost been defeated. As Sigma's eighth clone was destroyed, Sigma, in his new body, attacked. However, he was not fighting alone.

All of a sudden, the 6th, who had yet to sustain a casualty, fired on the other units. Dane quickly realized that the 6th must've been infected as well, so, he redirected half of the remaining units to attack. Things were looking grim. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 9th had already sustained heavy losses, the 7th, 13th, and 14th, had been wiped out, and the 12th was down to three ride armors. This was made all the worse by the fact that the 6th was an S-class unit. They quickly burned through the 3rd, 5th, and 9th while only sustaining minimal losses. Dane ordered the 0th to get within range and tear the 6th to shreds.

Sigma, however, was not to be ignored. Shooting off massive energy projectiles, he overloaded and destroyed the last three ride armors. Then, armed with two beam sabers, he began attacking the 2nd and 17th. The 2nd and 4th were taken out while Sigma made confetti with the 9th. The 0th finished with the 6th and both it and the 17th surrounded Sigma. It had all come to this. The elite fighting the elite.

It would not be, though, as a barrage of missiles tore into both hunter units. Then a beam of plasma brighter then anything Dane had ever seen impacted the hunters of the 17th, cutting most of them in half. Dane quickly spotted where the attack had come from, and gasped in disbelief as he saw Commander Axl, accompanied by one of the navigators, riding a ride chaser that Dane had never seen before. The 0th quickly deduced that Axl had likely been the one that infected the 6th, was no longer one of them, and charged him. However, the ride chaser was too fast, and Axl was too good of a shot. Eventually all the hunters were dead or dying. Dane lay on the ground, his body leaking internal fluids from the multitude of holes that penetrated his body. He got to his knees and looked around. He was the only one left. All the others were dead. The hunters had lost.

Axl walked over to Dane, gun in hand, to kill him execution-style. "Why…why did you do this?"

Axl grinned, a crazed look in his eye. "I'm a maverick kid, it's what I do. Say good bye."

Axl began to pull the trigger on his gun. All of a sudden a rocket-propelled fist impacted with him multiple times before going back to where it came from. Axl turned and saw X standing side-by-side with Vile.

X was furious. "You traitor! You killed everyone in the base! You infected good innocents with the Virus, you caused the deaths of nearly everyone! We trusted you!"

"That was your mistake, fool. And aren't you the hypocrite? Teaming up with an enemy are we?"

"He's not who I'm concerned with. I'm going to…Pallette? What the…"

"I decided to take her with me. Gave her a little upgrade. However, it was a bit too much for her fragile little mind to handle, unfortunately. Pallette, hon, go kill."

"Kill!" Pallette charged at X. X barely managed to dodge out of the way as she threw herself at him. Then he noticed some strange black substance covering her hands.

Vile yelled at X, "she's been infected! Don't let her touch you!" Vile fired at her. A purple beam of energy flew from his cannon, impacting Pallette and knocking her down. "Take care of the traitor, he's out of my league. I'll handle the girl."

X didn't want Pallette to be hurt, but he knew that, if she had truly been infected, it was already too late to save her. He quickly focused his attention on Axl. Dashing towards him, he prepared a charged shot. Suddenly, however, Axl disappeared. He had gone into stealth mode. X stopped in his tracks and looked around. Then he closed his eyes and held his breath.

Axl reappeared behind him and brought his guns up to fire, but X was faster. He leapt into the air and spun, slamming the point of his boot directly into Axl's face. Axl went to his knees. Turning around, X noticed that he had torn half of the synthetic flesh off of Axl's face. Axl, enraged, enveloped himself in a bright light, suddenly Signas stood before X, a beam rapier in hand. He charged at X, hoping that the change would make X hesitate so that he could cleave him in two.

"You should know I'm better than that. I know you're not the real thing, there's no point in looking like it." X unloaded several charged shots at Axl. In his new form, Axl was a big target and was no where near fast enough to dodge the shots fired at him. Once again he enveloped himself in a white light and became Zero. "That won't work either. You blatantly lied to me about Zero to try to create a rift between us. Turning into him now won't make me hesitate. You're outmatched, give up." X used the Falcon armor's Giga Attack once more and watched as plasma rained down on Axl.

Axl was obviously hurting now, he shifted forms once again, this time to Alia. "X, stop…please."

"That was the worst thing you could have possibly done. You killed her; she died in my arms, and now you have the nerve to desecrate her memory?!" X slammed himself into Axl and began punching him as hard as he could. It was too much for Axl and eventually he shifted back to his normal self. X stood over him, buster charged. "Any last words?"

"…could you…really kill me…in cold blood?"

X hesitated, the charge on his buster holding at full power as he pondered what Axl had just said. "What?"

Axl coughed up some oil as he tried to talk again. "Copy-reploids can go…maverick at will. If you killed me right now…it would go against your misguided system of justice…wouldn't it?"

X thought about this. If what Axl was saying was true, could it be possible that he could be brought to justice some other way then with his execution on the battle field? Would it truly be necessary to kill him here and now, when he could be imprisoned and maybe reprogrammed to become a member of society once again? X lowered his buster and dispersed his charge. "Alright then, have it your way. You are hereby under arrest."

Axl chuckled. "Idiot." He brought his gun up towards an unprepared X, and pulled the trigger.

The shot went off to the side. To X's amazement, at the last second, Axl had moved his arm away from X. Axl looked surprised at this as well. "What…how did you?" X then saw Axl slowly move his arm again. However, it looked to X like he was fighting himself. "No…no! What are you doing?!" Axl appeared to be yelling at himself as his other arm braced itself against his arm, trying to stop it but not succeeding. Axl's arm was now pointing the gun, not at X, but at himself. "Stop it! You'll kill us both!" Axl now held the gun level with his control chip covering. "NO!!!" X stared, trying to comprehend what was happening, as Axl's finger began to pull the trigger. Suddenly Axl's eyes closed and then reopened.

When he saw them open, X noticed something different about his eyes. "Axl?"

Tears in his eyes, Axl spoke one last time, "thank you, X." He pulled the trigger and his head fell to the ground, smoke emanating from the hole. His control chip was fried; he was dead.

X was stunned, for a second, Axl had been talking to himself. He briefly wondered what that had meant before he noticed something else. A familiar purple tendril of energy snaked out of Axl's head. X stared at it for second, trying to remember where he had seen it before, when suddenly he realized what it was. He stepped back in shock. "Lumine!"

The tendril shot towards him but was intercepted with an explosive, purple blast. There was a shriek as flames consumed the unearthly thing, and then it fell to the ground, disintegrating on impact. X turned to where the shot came from and saw Vile walking towards him. X was about to say something when Vile held his hand up and said, "no need to thank me. Just be more careful."

"Axl…it wasn't him. He was being controlled against his will. He was one of my best friends…I couldn't save him."

"X! Stop. You can't change what happened; you have to deal with it and move on. Deaths always happen in war. You can't save everyone who needs it; you have to do what you can with what you have where you are. Expecting anything more sets you up for a fall. Besides, we're not done yet."

"You took care of Pallette right?"

"The non-combat reploid? Yeah, but she's not the one I meant."

"Ha ha ha!" X and Vile both turned towards the voice. Sigma stood on a rock outcropping, observing them. Now was the moment he chose to include himself. "Tsk tsk, X! I didn't think you would be able to kill Axl. Typical. However, you have surprised me by teaming up with one of your worst enemies, so maybe you are ready. Either way, I have fulfilled my purpose. My time has come."

"I'm glad you think so. You won't survive Sigma. You may have all but wiped out the hunters, but you have lost; you will never threaten the world again."

"You right. I won't. I keep telling you though, X. This isn't about winning or losing. It's about your destiny. You see, I was merely the precursor to the storm. The real fight is soon to come."

X noticed a beam of red light appear behind Sigma. Either he didn't see it, or he did not care. Regardless of which was correct, Sigma continued talking. "Your fight, your destiny, does not end with my destruction. You are a Mega Man. There is only one opponent who can destroy you. It will not be me. I was made by an inferior who copied only what he could understand from your designs. Your true foe is your equal. However, he will surpass you and…EYAH!"

Sigma screamed in pain as a bright green shaft of light emerged from his chest; a beam saber. Sigma began to laugh through the pain. "He is here! Fare well X!" The saber was pulled out and then a mighty swing cleaved Sigma's head from the rest of his body. Sigma's body fell to the ground, revealing the attacker to X and Vile.

"Zero!" X was astonished. Zero had come back after all, and he had defeated Sigma single-handily. However, there was something wrong with him. His eyes looked empty, devoid of life and the personality he knew and loved. Zero threw he head back and laughed; a sound that chilled X's blood.

Vile was the first to speak. "Oh god. It's happened."

X turned to Vile. "What? What's going on?"

Vile looked at X. "Zero's been infected! He's a maverick. X, you have to get out of here. You aren't ready for him yet."

X was stunned. "Zero? Maverick?"

"Commander!" X and Vile turned and noticed Dane walking towards Zero. "Commander Zero!"

"Dane! No!"

"It's too late for him X. You've got to leave."

"How did this happen. Tell me now!"

"Sigma's plan was for Zero to learn his origin from his creator and then turn him maverick so that he would destroy you, and everything in the world. I hoped it wouldn't work. I never knew where Sigma would meet Zero or I would have stopped him. Sigma did tell me about Zero's past, but it's not my place to tell you the truth about Zero. You wouldn't believe me. Only one man has the right, and he's the only one you'll listen to."

X looked confused. "Zero's origin? But who else would know? How would I find him?"

A new voice appeared behind them. "Megaman X. The last child of Dr. Thomas Xavier Light. Come, I shall be your guide."

X turned to see this newcomer. He gasped as, standing before him was a yellow and black robot, complete with a helmet that looked like it came from King Tut's tomb. The robot held out his hand and said, "come with me X. All your questions will be answered."

"Pharaoh Man?"

"Yes. We must hurry X. Time is short, and there is much you need to know, take my hand."

"Damn it X! Get out of here!" Vile pushed X forward, causing him to clasp on to Pharaoh Man's hand. X turned to look at Vile before the two of them dissolved into beams of particles flying through the air. Vile sighed a bit as he watched the two of them leave. "Good bye X. It was nice, being your friend."

While this had been happening, Dane had been making his way towards his commander. He had been oblivious to X's shouting and the scene that played out just a couple dozen yards away. "I knew you'd come back sir. I knew you wouldn't abandon us completely."

Dane got to within arms distance, and, faster than lightning, Zero cleaved him in two. Zero laughed as Dane fell to the ground and split apart. Zero then surveyed the landscape before him. He noticed three figures that were a few dozen yards away. A purple one, a yellow-black one, and a blue one. Suddenly something went through his head. The others were trivial and would be destroyed, but the blue one…the blue one…that was his target. He saw the yellow-black one and the blue one disappear, leaving only the purple one behind. Zero knew what that meant. He ignited his saber and charged the purple one.

Vile saw Zero begin to charge him. He briefly thought about what was actually going to happen. He was going to die; however, this time, he was not going to be rebuilt. With Sigma finally destroyed, no one in their right mind would rebuild a former maverick who had helped terrorize the world several times. This was it for him. If he ran now, he could save himself, hide away and probably never be found by anyone. He could live out the rest of his life in relatively peaceful seclusion. Hardly anybody knew what he looked like under his helmet anyways, it made all the sense in the world to run away. Then he looked up from his reverie, saw Zero again, charging at him full speed with saber drawn, and he made up his mind. Bring his hand to his shoulder cannon, he yelled out, "come on monster! Show me what you've got!"

The fight lasted a whole minute. When it was over, Vile lay on the ground, his arm-mounted cannon torn to shreds, and missing everything below his waist. He saw Zero standing over him, beam saber at the ready. "Good luck X." Zero plunged the saber into his head, killing him instantly.

Zero looked at the battle field. He had to find the blue one. Suddenly a new piece of data entered his head at this time. Numbers…like the ones that had brought him here. He did something with those numbers and was engulfed in light as he warped away from the battle-field.

The ruins of Old-Tokyo had been a wasteland for years. Nothing had changed.

---

"Almost there."

* * *

End Chapter 9

Finally some more action. Now I realize that many people are going to wonder which unit is which, so I came up with my own way of organizing them to help understand the fighting better.

0th Zero's unit; pronounced 'Zero-ith' Unit

2nd A-class buster users (S-class go to 17th)

3rd B-class buster users

4th A-class beam saber users (S-class go to 0th)

5th B-class beam saber users

6th Axl's unit

7th Busters/beam sabers, selected by X and Zero, mostly A-class, emphasis on partners 'Destructive Duos'

8th Aerial fighting 'Winged Justice'

9th Close/mid-range Mag-weaponry (S-class go to 6th)

10th Long range Mag-weaponry, sniper unit

11th Ride chaser specialists 'Rolling Thunder'

12th Ride armor specialists 'Mobile Titans'

13th C-class buster and beam saber users, green horns

14th Humans, primarily Mag-wepon users, however, some use beam sabers

17th X's unit

X's 17th is the only one I know that's really canon, being as how it's mentioned during one of the cut scenes in X4. The other units I just made up. I would think Zero would have used the fact that his name is a number when naming his unit. I couldn't think up two extra units to place between the 14th and the 17th, so I just left it that way, figuring X would have continued to call his unit the 17th even when there was less then seventeen units out of habit. There is no 1st because another 1st would take away from the memory of the hunters who had been part of the first uprising. Earlier in the story I wrote that there had been at least twenty two units and now there are only fifteen. I don't know how many units they could have, but I think they would have eventually streamlined it to include more hunters into fewer groups. Also, Signas mentioned the need to focus on recruitment; that could also have an effect on the numbers and the units.


	10. Chapter 10: X

Chapter 10

* * *

21XX: The wastelands of Siberia 0900, Hours GMT

With a bright flash, two beams of light landed in some sort of control room. X noticed many displays and view screens focusing on different world events. Right now, several of them were showing video footage of the Old Tokyo wastelands.

X heard his guide, Pharaoh Man, yell, "get that shield up now! We don't have much time, and I don't want him getting in that easy. Make sure we can still warp out if we need to."

"Affirmative brother," responded a robot with what appeared to be a light bulb on his head. Fingers flew over the consol as a message finally appeared on the screen stating that an EM shield was now set up around…where ever they were. Pharaoh Man turned back towards X. "Well, now that we have some time, let us walk. I'm sure you have many questions."

"Y..yeah, I do. First of all, though, how is it you guys are here? I mean, didn't my brother…"

"Megaman did destroy us in the Fourth Robot Rebellion. However, Dr. Cossack, our father, rebuilt us. He did not originally make us for warfare but he was blackmailed by Dr. Wily and forced to upgrade us into fighters in an effort to destroy your older brother. Afterwards, Dr. Cossack wanted someone around to protect his daughter should something ever happen to him. We've been around ever since."

"Well, okay. I'm amazed you are all in such good condition after at least a hundred years. My next question is, where are we?

"We are in the citadel of Dr. Sergei Cossack. The very one Megaman invaded when he was trying to put a stop to the Fourth Rebellion."

"Thought so. Now, for the final question. Why did you bring me here?"

"Although I was not programmed for such things, you could say it's destiny fulfilling itself. You are fighting one of your last battles Megaman X. A new era is coming soon. Just as the Age of Megaman ended with a climactic battle between two titans, so will this one as well. But come, we have delayed for too long. The real answers await you."

Suddenly warning klaxons blared. Pharaoh Man immediately turned to the monitors. "Report."

"It's Zero. He's found us and is currently trying to forcibly enter the citadel."

"Damn it! Initiate four ring defense protocol. We have to stall him for as long as possible."

X was confused. "How did he know where we warped to? Nobody even knows you guys are here."

"He was most likely programmed with the knowledge by our mutual enemy. Come X, we must get to the inner sanctum."

Pharaoh Man led the way through the twisting and turning passages of the citadel. Deeper and deeper they went, until at last, they stood before a door at the end of a long passage way. Pharaoh Man activated a communicator. "Brothers, status report."

"Zero's blown through the first ring with hardly a scratch. The second ring seems to have made him slow down, but we still don't have much time."

"Brothers, if Zero makes it to the fourth ring before X is finished…well, I won't order you to do anything you don't want to."

"Pharaoh Man, I think I speak for everyone when I say, we'll fight to the end. We've had good lives, and now that father and sister are gone, this is our only purpose. You can count on us."

"Thank you. Pharaoh out." Pharaoh Man shut down his communicator and turned to X. "Well, X, the answers you seek lie in this room. Enter. I will not intrude."

X looked towards the door. Tentatively, he stepped to it. It opened, and then X gasped in surprise. It was one of Dr. Light's capsules. X walked forward, as if in a trance, and the door closed behind him. When X got to within a few feet of the capsule, it began to activate itself. Suddenly, the familiar image of X's father showed up. He was much older in this one then he had been in the others. He smiled and began to speak.

"X, my son. So, you've finally made it. Thank God."

X stared and waited for the capsule to continue with it's message.

"Well, aren't you going to say anything?"

X eyes widened with shock. "You…you know I'm here?"

"Yes. And if you're here you must have questions. So please, ask. I will do my best to answer."

"But…how?"

"Artificial intelligence. The real Dr. Light programmed me to the point where I'm on par with the original Mega Man. Of course, it does mean that I refer to myself as him sometimes, but only because that's what he would have wanted. Now please, ask any question you need. I will tell you everything you want to know."

X immediately knew what his first question would be. "Why was I created. If I was to have a peaceful life, why was I built with these?" He held up his buster. "Why did you give me hope for peace I could never achieve?"

Light's expression was a sad one. "X, let me tell you a story. When I was a young man, the girl I loved and who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with was killed. I don't think I ever quite got over it. I had always wanted to have kids of my own. Thankfully I was blessed later on in life with Rock, Roll, Blues, and, later on, you X. However, the three of them were taken from me and I never got to see you grow up. Your brother, Rock, was known to the world at large as Mega Man, the hero of the Robot Rebellions. However, he was tortured because of it. He never wanted to have to fight. He wanted to live a simple life, and every robot rebellion drove him further and further from his dream. He fought, because he didn't have a choice. The First Law didn't give him one. I wanted you to be able to choose your path in ways Rock never could have. And you have, you have taken up your brother's mantle; you fight for what you believe is right. You choose to fight so that one day you won't have to. I am truly sorry for your suffering, but I think you know that what I'm saying is the truth."

X did know it. He had forced himself to think that he was the only one who could make a difference, when he knew that it wasn't so. It had been his choices, not his fate, that made him what he was now. "You said Rock, Roll, and Blues were taken away from you. Why is there no mention of them, or you after a certain time in the history books? It's like you all just disappeared from the face of the Earth. What happened?"

The hologram took a deep breath. "The end of the Age of Mega Man. They were killed X. All of them. It happened while they were fighting the greatest threat to humanity the planet had ever seen; the last creation of Dr. Wily. Out of that last battle, only Auto, Duo, and myself survived. Duo left to find his origins, and I upgraded Auto to act as the guardian of your first set of armor upgrades."

X's eyes widened as he flashed back to that battle. The giant green robot who had been guarding his armor upgrade. The realization that he had fought, and destroyed, Auto stunned him. However his mind went back to what the hologram had said about the last creation of Wily. "But…who could have done that? Bass couldn't have beaten Mega Man alone, certainly not if Mega Man had had help, and King was considered a failure by Wily, correct?"

"Yes X. However, it was not Bass, nor was it King, who destroyed Mega Man that one terrible day. Bass actually helped to stop the monster responsible. Unfortunately, he was destroyed right after Blues. Treble, the poor thing, couldn't live without him and left to fend for himself. I always wondered what happened to him. But I'm getting off the topic. It was not Bass or King that Mega Man fought against that day."

"Then what was it? What robot did Wily unleash that finally defeated Mega Man?"

The hologram sighed and then began to morph. "It was no ordinary robot. It was this one." The hologram materialized into the form of Zero.

X looked at the image with a mixture of horror and disbelief in his face. "No… that can't be. He couldn't have done that. Every reploid that has ever been created has been based off of my designs. Nobody even knew I existed for years until I was found by Dr. Cain. Zero couldn't have even existed back then."

The hologram morphed back into the form of Dr. Light. "Zero, so that's its name. Zero was technically based off of your designs, it is true. However, he was built by one who understood the concepts behind reploids better then any other scientist would have. Zero was the last creation of my former friend; Dr. Albert William Wily."

"…what? How?"

"During Wily's seventh rebellion, Bass stole plans for upgrades for Mega Man and Rush. He also got some of my notes that had references to you X. Wily would have known that you were far more advanced than anything he or I had previously created, so he created Zero to destroy you and Mega Man. You two are the prototypes for the reploid race."

"But, Zero's not like that anymore. He and I are friends; we've been friends for decades."

"Yes X, but the Zero who is your best friend is not the Zero that destroyed Megaman, nor is it the one currently trying to destroy you. Wily programmed him to destroy you first and foremost. I believe his personality, the one that you have become friends with, is being overridden by what you call the Maverick Virus."

"How did you know that that's what he's trying to do?"

"I built you with a special circuit that can transmit information to my capsules. That's how you are always able to find and access them during your fights."

Suddenly, another thought came to X. "But if Zero was like that when he was first activated…then was he the original carrier of the virus? Was he the one that passed it on to Sigma?"

"I can only speculate on that, but I do believe that he was the original carrier for the Maverick Virus. And if that's so, then the virus would have had to have been made by Dr. Wily as well."

It all came back to Wily. He had been dead for decades, yet he was still affecting the world. Suddenly, what Sigma had said made sense. Mega Man had always fought Wily. The only difference now was that there were two different actors playing those roles. "But how am I supposed to fight him? I…I just can't destroy him. He's all I have left."

Now the hologram looked slightly confused. "What do you mean X?"

X sighed and hung his head. "Everything I have fought for and helped to create has been destroyed. The hunters, my friends…Alia."

The hologram cocked it's eyebrow. "Alia?" Suddenly it gasped in realization. "Oh no. X…I'm so sorry, I know what that feeling is like. I'm sorry you have to experience it."

X raised his head and glared at the hologram, fierce anger in his eyes. "Why did you do it? If you hadn't made me, none of this would have happened. Reploids wouldn't exist and the planet would be in far better shape then it is now."

"You don't know how long I struggled with that question after Zero killed three of my children. Seeing ones love die is a painful thing, but to outlive one's own children? That's something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy."

X realized that he was being insensitive. The hologram had a point; X couldn't imagine the state one's soul would be in having experienced all that the doctor had. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

"Don't apologize X. You were right. If I had never built you, none of that would have ever come to pass. Zero would not have been created, and my children would probably still be alive. However, I did create you; and to this day, I do not regret it. The reason why is because I knew you would be a human. Yes, it's true, you are not a real human being, but you are as close as one can get. Ever since I first started your design on a sheet of paper, I knew I couldn't deny you your life. Not when you had the potential to do so much with it. And you have. You have changed the world X. For better or worse, it is a different place then it had been before you existed. My dream for the future may have not come true yet, but it gladdens me to know that you have chosen to fight for it. You have chosen to fight for a future where humans and reploids live in harmony, and I can ask no more of you. However, there is still one who would undo everything you and I have worked for."

"Zero."

"X, I know he's your friend, but right now he isn't himself. The virus has totally taken him over."

Suddenly, X thought of something. "If he had been a maverick before passing it on to Sigma, he wasn't one after that. Does that mean that he could be saved if he were to somehow purge the virus from his systems?"

"I really couldn't say X. However, at this point in time, he is going to try everything he can to kill you. You have to fight back X."

"But…I'm no warrior. Zero was always the one who enjoyed fighting. He's too good. He's a better fighter then I am. All the other times we fought, I only won because he went easy on me. I just can't do it."

"Neither could Mega Man. He was not meant to be a warrior, and he certainly shouldn't have been able to stand up to Wily. However, he kept trying, and, somehow, he always came out on top. X, you may disdain fighting, I would be dismayed if you didn't, but I think that, deep down, you know that you'll do what you believe is right. You are just like your older brother. I wish that it could have been different for you, but we must make do with what we can. You have to stop him X. Not for me, not for anyone else, but for you. You can do it."

Light's words struck X. He knew that it was right. He had gone down this road as far as it could go. Now he had to act. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "For everlasting peace."

Light said one more thing as X turned away from him. "X. Take off the armor. I don't think you need it anymore."

X considered this for a moment. Then he realized what such an action would symbolize. He would fully embrace this fight and fight with his natural abilities. Just as his older brother had done, so many times before. A bright light engulfed X and when it faded, he stood, clad in the armor he had been born in. He glanced back at the hologram, "thank you father." With a look of determination set in his face, he walked out the door.

The hologram watched him leave. "Godspeed my son."

---

X exited the room and saw, standing before him, two robots; Ring Man and Pharaoh Man. "How's it going guys?"

Pharaoh Man turned and addressed him. "Zero is almost through the fourth ring. We were just about to go engage him…"

"No. Let me. I don't want anymore death on my hands."

"With all due respect X, we are going to fight him, with your blessing or without. We owe that much to your brothers for the sacrifices they made."

"Very well. Let's go then."

Ring Man spoke up. "But, what about your armor? Don't you think it would be safer to use it in battle?"

"The armor is no longer necessary. I know what I need to do and that's all I need."

Ring Man looked confused, but Pharaoh Man seemed to understand. "Then let us hurry, the others should be engaging Zero soon."

The three of them ran off through the corridors. Eventually they got to the training room, the place Mega Man and Dr. Cossack had fought years ago. The other six of Cossack's children were there, readying for the fight ahead. Bright Man spoke up. "Good of you to join us X. Now we may stand a chance."

X nodded. Suddenly, a loud crash could be heard, and a dent appeared on the door leading out of the room. X turned and looked at Pharaoh Man. "Pharaoh Man, you knew him. What would my brother do right about now?"

"The same thing you are doing X. He would fight, even if he knew he would die."

X smiled and took a deep breath. One more punch landed on the door, and it flew off it's hinges. Zero was here.

X stared at his friend. The eyes were hollow; just like Alia's had been. Whatever had been his friend was gone now. Replaced by a soulless killer. Suddenly, Bright Man yelled out, "eyes!"

Instinctively, X covered his eyes. Then he remembered Bright Man's power; a flash of light so powerful that it would render whoever looked at it temporarily blind. It had almost resulted in Mega Man's destruction decades ago, but unfortunately, Zero's optics were more powerful than that. Odds were he would only be out for a second or two before he could recover, and then he would attack Bright Man in order to get him out of the way.

Not if X had anything to say about it. He opened his eyes and saw Zero staggering slightly, the blindness quickly wearing off. He dashed forward and slammed Zero with a massive right hook, almost knocking the red prototype off his feet. He turned his head to look at the other bots. "I'll try to keep him away from you! Hit him with everything you have!"

Pharaoh Man nodded and signaled for his brothers to attack. He charged up his Pharaoh Shot and fired while Ring Man, Dive Man, Drill Man, and Dust Man fired their respective weapons. Toad Man, Skull Man, and Bright Man stood back; their weapons would have little effect on the fight as it was.

Zero saw the wave of firepower approach him and he began to move out of the way. He managed to dodge most of the attacks, but Ring Man's attack, along with Dive Man's missile, managed to hit him, causing minimal damage. He turned and slammed his knee into X's torso, causing X back off as he clutched his heaving chest. He then fired a charged shot towards the robot masters.

Just feet away from the other robots, the blast stopped and dissipated, revealing Skull Man standing behind his Skull Shield. Toad Man appeared behind him and fired a large bomb-like object towards Zero. It exploded in mid air, releasing a shower of toxic acid rain. Unfortunately, it was mostly ineffectual as the only real damage was some of the paint on Zero's armor peeling off. Skull Man turned towards Pharaoh Man and said, "brother, I don't think I can take much more of that kind of firepower. It's more than my shield was designed for."

"Hopefully you won't have to. X is back in the fray. Everybody get ready for another volley."

True enough, X had jumped in to attack Zero as soon as the rain had dissipated. The two exchanged physical blows until Zero leapt back, brandishing his saber for the first time in the fight. X quickly fired a charged shot at him as the robot masters fired another round of shots in unison.

Zero spun around, swinging his beam saber and some how managing to intercept all the attacks. He charged at X, but X jumped in the air, preparing to land behind him. Zero, however, had anticipated this move and had cut his boosters off early. He grabbed X's foot as he landed and spun him around like a rag doll. He let go and sent X flying towards the robot masters. Zero grinned as he proceeded to chase down the robots that had gotten out of X's way.

Bright Man was first. Zero dashed in front of the robot as it was trying to recover it's balance. As Bright Man lit his bulb, Zero was already performing his downward slice. Bright Man was cleaved in two as Zero put his hands over his eyes, temporarily blind once again. However, Zero could hear X running towards him. At the last second, he sidestepped X's charge, and spin-kicked him in the head.

Zero continued towards the other robot masters and proceeded to fire a blistering charge shot at Toad Man. The plasma ate through him, leaving a giant hole in his torso that began to smoke as the body toppled over. Suddenly, however, the ground Zero was standing on began to quake. He was confused for a second, but then he was knocked off his feet as Drill Man emerged from the ground directly under him, firing drill missiles as he surfaced. Zero's reflexes saved him as he managed to destroy the missiles with plasma bursts. Drill Man went under again, but this time Zero was prepared. Drill Man surfaced again, but this time he was met with open air. All of a sudden Zero's beam sword impaled itself in Drill Man's head. Zero had leapt into the air as Drill Man was about to surface and taken the inertia gained in falling to jam his saber through Drill Man's armored exterior.

Landing on his feet, Zero prepared to attack the other five robots, when a powerful blast hit him from behind, becoming the first attack to actually do some damage. He turned and saw X readying another charged shot. He quickly dashed towards the robots and grabbed Dive Man as X fired another blast. Hefting Dive Man's massive body over his head, he flung him directly into X's shot, terribly wounding, but not killing the lumbering robot. Ring Man, holding one ring in each hand, leapt at Zero and attacked with the razor sharp discs. Zero used his saber to block most of the blows while X checked on Dive Man. Dust Man fired a large stack of rubble at Zero, hitting him in the back but only serving to make him angrier. Zero managed to snag Ring Man's rings using his beam saber, grabbed his throat and proceeded to fling him head first into Dust Man, lodging him in Dust Man's intake system. He then flipped his saber in his hands so that he was holding it saber-side down and made to impale Pharaoh Man with it.

Skull Man had seen this series of events, however, and jumped in front of Pharaoh Man, activating his Skull Shield in the process. Zero's saber impacted with the shield with tremendous force, yet Skull Man was able to hold it intact. Sparks flew from where the saber and shield were struggling for dominance and Skull Man started emitting smoke from the exertion of keeping his shield up.

"Pharaoh Shot!" All of a sudden Zero was hit in the side by a large blast of energy. He quickly glanced over and realized Pharaoh Man had moved and charged up an attack while he had been focusing on Skull Man. He took his saber away from the shield and was about to cleave Pharaoh Man in two when another powerful blast hit him in the side. X leapt at Zero and landed a devastating kick into his midsection, taking his attention from Pharaoh Man.

Meanwhile, Pharaoh Man went over to Skull Man who had fallen over after Zero stopped his assault. The damage to his power systems caused by the stress of keeping his shield up was causing his body to spark as smoke crept from small fractures in his armor. "Phare…I think… that that was it for me. Can't…can't move."

"You will not have died in vain brother. I promise you."

If Skull Man could have smiled, he would have. As it was, he slowly closed his eyes and ceased to function. Pharaoh Man was incapable of crying, but the grief he felt was present nonetheless. He quickly got up and went to help Ring Man and Dust Man. He pried Ring Man out and the three got ready to attack.

X and Zero weren't getting anywhere in their fight. X dodged all of Zero's saber swipes and retaliated with a mix of plasma fire and physical combat. Zero, however, was every bit as good as X and was able to block and avoid the attacks X sent towards him. X noticed the robots ready to attack and turned himself to where Zero was between him and the robot masters. The three of them launched their attacks.

Zero, however, had been prepared for this. He quickly fell to the floor, letting X take the full brunt of the attack. Then he spun and charged Dust Man, who was too slow to dodge effectively. He threw his saber and it lodged itself into Dust Man's upper torso. He then pulled the blade out and fired a charged shot directly into the hole created by his saber, killing Dust Man.

Ring Man rapidly threw his razor sharp weapons at Zero, but to no effect. With a precision and speed that Ring Man had never seen, Zero caught five of his rings on his saber and then flung them back at him faster then Ring Man had ever seen done before. The rings cut into his body, severing circuits and systems as four went into his torso and the fifth one embedded itself into his skull. Ring Man dropped, fluids leaking from his wounds and sparks shooting across his head. Suddenly an explosive impacted Zero's back. Dive Man had gotten to his feet and, although badly wounded, begun to attack Zero as well. He fired another missile at Zero, but Zero caught it and threw it back at him. Even at full strength and speed Dive Man couldn't have avoided it. The missile impacted his head, leaving nothing behind but a smoking crater.

It was down to Pharaoh Man and X versus Zero. X turned to Pharaoh Man and said, "this isn't your fight. You can still get out of here in one piece."

"X, please do not insult me by suggesting I leave after this monster has murdered my brethren. I would not have abandoned your brother had I been with him that fateful day. Do not ask me to abandon mine."

Zero regarded the two opponents before him. Together they had put up a greater fight than anything he had expected. As far as his muddled memory went, he had only fought one other opponent who had done this much to him. That one had also been blue, but had been much smaller then the one he now faced. The tall one had been a joke and the purple one had only been marginally better. However, these two, along with the seven he had scrapped, had managed to hold their own until now. However, the blue one was the only one he was truly concerned with. The yellow-black one was merely an appetizer.

"X, if you can hold him off of me while I ready one more attack, I think I might be able to do one more thing before he destroys me."

"What are you talking about? You've barely taken any damage at all, hell you're doing better then I am."

"But I have not yet made an attack that has truly mattered. I'm telling you, let me charge up one more attack and I'll have validated my survival."

"Alright, but you had better hurry, I don't know how long I'll be able to keep him occupied while you're just standing here." With those words, X once again dashed towards Zero.

"Do not worry X. I shall make my life count." Pharaoh Man held his hands above his head and began forming a ball of plasma that was slowly growing larger.

Zero engaged X in physical combat, not using his saber because of the fact that it would slow him down enough to let X hit him. The two were a flurry of fists and feet as they fought around the room.

Pharaoh Man watched in awe. Watching them was like a ballet; one that he could never hope to match. A very long time ago, he had glimpsed one who had approached what he now saw X and Zero doing. However, that one had long since been gone from this world, his existence just a faint memory in few history books. His age had ended long ago, the time had come for him to join his friends. But not before making one last action. The ball of energy, now roughly the size of a car, was bigger then he had ever had it before. It grew slowly larger as his systems strained under the pressure of keeping the energy from blowing up right next to him. He saw X looking at him while dodging Zero's attacks and nodded to him, telling him that the time was right.

X managed to get Zero in a chokehold and swept his leg into Zero's, making him fall to the ground. It was at this point that Pharaoh Man let fly his devastating Pharaoh Shot. The gauntlets on Pharaoh Man's arms that controlled and directed the plasma build up sparked and blew out as they were released from the strain he had put on them. As the ball of energy sped on, Zero got to his knees and saw it coming for him. He tried to dash away, but another shot from X made him lose his balance. The enormous ball of plasma impacted.

He screamed in pain as the energy poured into his systems. He had felt pain like this before. The red and grey one, and the black one had both done damage like this to him a long time ago. He managed to get to his feet and saw that the yellow-black one was damaged from his own attack. The blue one charged him, but he landed a sucker punch on its jaw, sending it stumbling back. He then dashed towards the yellow-black one and drew his saber.

Pharaoh Man didn't even try to dodge as Zero sliced through his waist. For the first time in his life, he felt no pain from being hurt like this. He had done his part as the steward of a legacy that spanned decades; he had walked with giants and had kept pace for a short while. He was finally at peace with the world. "It's up to you X. Brothers, I am on my way."

X could only gasp in horror as he recovered from the blow to the face he had taken and saw Zero cut Pharaoh Man in two. Zero turned and regarded him. It was at this point that X saw just how far gone Zero really was. X wouldn't be able to save him, no matter how hard he tried. He knew that continuing their duel here would cause lots of destruction to Cossack's citadel. As much as he didn't want to go, he knew that this was not the place where their final duel would take place. He realized where he had to fight Zero.

Zero charged him, but X moved quicker then usual and caught Zero's arm, forcing it back behind him while he held onto his other arm. Then, as Zero struggled to get out of his grip, X activated his warp generator and both combatants disappeared in trails of red and blue light.

---

"Just a little bit longer, hang on."

---

Over the barren plains of Old Tokyo, two beams of light streaked down and impacted the ground, coalescing into the forms of X and Zero. Zero broke free of X's grasp and looked at his surroundings. This was where he had been when he had killed the tall one and the purple one. Now he would destroy the blue one here, and then…he didn't know what he would do after that, but he knew something would tell him.

X had a reason for choosing to bring Zero back here. Now that he knew about Zero's past, this seemed the most appropriate place for a fight; the place where, decades before, Mega Man and Zero had fought. X was far more powerful then his brother had been, but Zero had also been upgraded since and now had deadlier abilities at his disposal. They had both taken damage at Cossack's Citadel, but the extent of that damage could not be seen by either. Zero seemed to recognize this place as well. Perhaps he was remembering the fight between him and Mega Man? Either way, X spoke out. "Yes Zero. We're here. This is where you fought my older brother; Mega Man. You remember that right?"

If Zero could comprehend anything X said he didn't show it. However, at the mention of Mega Man, his hand reached up to his head. He could feel it in him; the programming in his brain telling him he needed to destroy Mega Man and X. In his state, he could not distinguish the two identities from one another. It seemed to him as if this blue one was the reincarnation of the one he had fought so long ago. He had to destroy it, nothing else mattered to him. He let out a furious cry and charged at X.

X watched Zero and briefly closed his eyes. "Forgive me, Zero." He then brought his buster up and unleashed a charge shot at Zero. Zero swiped his blade through the plasma and it dispersed. X got close enough and landed a kick at his wrist, causing Zero to drop the saber. As quickly as it happened X fired another charged shot, this time at the saber, wrecking it. Zero snarled at the loss of his weapon and sent a flurry of punches at X, most of which were blocked or dodged.

The two fought for what felt like ages. After 15 minutes of non stop fighting, both of them were weak. Sparks sizzled from open wounds while smoke poured from plasma scorching. X prepared a charge shot but, suddenly, Zero caught a second wind and dashed into X, knocking him down and causing his shot to go off in another direction. The two combatants were evenly matched, but the virus was making Zero go battle-crazy, giving him an edge that X didn't have. Zero leapt on top of X and slammed his fists into him again and again, until, finally, X was lying in a heap on the ground with Zero standing over him. Zero charged his buster, aiming it at X's head, his face twisted in a mask of insanity.

X opened his eyes, and saw something twinkle in the sky above Zero. He thought it might be a shooting star, but as it got closer he could see that, rather then burning up into nothing, it glowed a brilliant light blue. "Pretty…" He briefly thought he might be going crazy, thinking about how nice something in the sky looked when he was about to be killed by his former best friend. He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.

Then they both heard it. A voice from the heavens itself.

"NO!!!"

X and Zero both looked around to see where the voice came from. Zero noted where X had been staring and spun around to face whatever it was. He saw an object streaking towards him from the sky at an incredible speed. He tried to activate his dash thrusters, but it was far too late. The object hit him and sent him flying into a nearby rock outcropping. Then it stopped above the ground and changed shape. X watched with amazement as the meteor-like object morphed into a vaguely humanoid shape, it's appearance still hidden behind a cover of blue flame. Then the flame dissipated and X's eyes widened in shock and he recognized the figure floating over him.

"X…it is good to meet you. I am…"

"Duo…" X interrupted.

"Yes. But the introductions will have to wait. We still have business to take care of." Duo turned to see Zero emerging a few yards away. Zero looked up and saw Duo approaching him. His eyes got wide as he tried to back away. "That's right demon. You remember me don't you? You may have been fated to kill the one who showed me what it was to truly live, but you shall not take the one he and so many others have sacrificed themselves for." With that, his hand erupted in blue flame and he fired an energy blast directly towards Zero.

Zero was already exhausted and couldn't get out of the way in time. The blast hit him and pain wracked his body. His teleportation system had been overloaded by the fight with the blue one, and now the large one had returned and was attacking him full force. He had no idea what kind of power the large one possessed but he knew that it would be more than enough to destroy him in his current situation. Blast after blast, the large one fired and Zero continued to live, until he lay in a heap, much the same as X had before him.

The tables had turned as Duo stood over a beaten, broken Zero. "Now, you foul creature, go back to where you came from." He lifted his hand and began a mighty swing that would cut Zero in two.

"STOP!" X cried out as he dove in between Duo and Zero. "You can't!"

"X! Move! He must be stopped. Do you know how much pain and suffering he's caused? We have to destroy him!"

"He can be saved."

"Impossible. He is a demon and he will continue to kill until there is nothing left on this world!"

"No, you don't understand. In there, deep in there, is the real Zero. The one that's my best friend. He was normal after he infected Sigma. That means there might be hope for him."

Duo looked troubled by X's argument. Then he saw movement. "X, behind you!"

All of a sudden, Zero was on his feet behind X. He reached up and placed his hand on X's control chip cover. Then he spoke, "destroy…infect…survive." A black substance covered the red crystal on X's forehead and Zero fell to the ground, unconscious. X looked at Zero, then at Duo before something in his head made him cry out in pain. He fell to his knees clutching his head and screaming in agony.

Duo's look of shock turned into a mask of rage as he rounded on Zero's unconscious body. He grasped it by the throat and yelled, "wake up! What did you do to him? If you don't tell me I'll…" Duo saw that Zero would not be waking up, he was too badly damaged and, without repair, he would die. "Then you will die by my hand demon. You may have done something to X, but you will still die today." He let Zero fall as his hand was once again covered with blue flame. "Hyahhh," he cried out as he was about to crush Zero's head.

---

_Suddenly, he was someplace else. He looked around and noticed that he was inside some sort of fortress. Turning around, he saw two figures facing each other. One was red, and the other was blue. Looking closer at the blue one he realized that it looked very similar to X. "What am I seeing," he asked himself._

_The blue one spoke. "We meet at last, Zero. I've been looking forward to this moment."_

_The red one was Zero? It looked different, but there was a definite resemblance. However, he felt no taint of evil in this one. He felt…clean. It spoke. "You…you must be the pirate copy of X…"_

_"No... A perfect copy of the original X. The new hero who saved the human race from this wasted world. Didn't you notice...? The humans have found happiness more than ever before... The utopia that humans have searched for, is here in Neo Arcadia. This is something that you and the original X could never create... Only I could do this!"_

_Duo continued to watch as the events unfolded around him. Zero spoke once again. "This is a peace that can only be achieved by retiring uncountable numbers of innocent reploids… This is not what anyone wanted! This place is just a joke."_

_"Ha ha ha. You are so funny… It's been fun… Now, let's get down to business!"_

_The two combatants fought one another. Duo could feel the spirit of the Copy-X; it was devoid of what had made X the hero he was. The copy was blindly trying to accomplish his goal through use of force on innocent people, and he was committing the genocide of the reploid race in the process. The fight was soon over, and Zero was victorious._

_"Too weak. Was the original X this weak?"_

_Duo realized that Zero was having memory problems, he did not know why, but he felt that the knowledge would be revealed to him. The Copy-X got to it's feet._

_"Wha…what…!"_

_"I may have lost my memory, but my body seems to remember… that the original X was mightier then you…"_

_"Silence. Now you will feel my true power!! Haaaaaaaaa!" The copy morphed into a winged monstrosity that promptly attacked Zero. Duo realized that this form was supposed to represent an angel; an image that the copy probably wanted to further for himself. He was a mighty fighter in this form, but Zero was somehow able to defeat the copy._

_"Why… Why… I was supposed to be… the perfect copy… how can this be… possible… I was supposed to be… a hero… "_

_"I've just remembered something… He was not as naive as you are. That's what made him a hero."_

_"I won't forgive you. I'll take you with me…"_

_Alarms went off around the fortress as a self-destruct sequence became activated. Zero took one last look at the Copy-X. "It's time to go…" He activated his dash thrusters and flew out of the room faster then Duo could keep track of him._

_The scene changed to a desert. He saw Zero lying in the sand, heavily damaged. Then a ball of light closed in on him. Amazingly it began to speak. "Since you disappeared, I've been fighting this war alone against an uncountable number of mavericks for nearly a hundred years… Battle after battle… So painful and so sad… But the hardest part was when I discovered I no longer cared about fighting enemies…_

_Duo gasped in revelation. This was the true X. They still worked together, even in this bleak future. "I'll leave this world to you… Please allow me… to rest in peace… for a while… …I'm sorry Zero…"_

_The ball of light faded and Zero got up. "So be it… But that's why we are the best partners… I'll do what you want… Rest for a while. I will handle it, you can count on me. I won't stop! When an enemy appears… I'll terminate it…"_

_Zero turned around and saw a multitude of blue robots that were stylized like X. He lit his beam saber and charged slicing one in half. Then the vision went to black._

_---_

"No…" Duo still stood; his hand inches away from Zero's head. The blue flames died out as Duo fell to his knees, his face covered in agony. "WHY?!?" He yelled at the sky. "Why must he live when all he has caused is death, pain, and suffering?! Is this justice?!" He let his head fall. He couldn't do it. As much as he wanted to, he had to let Zero live. The future of the planet depended on him. "Not fair…it's not fair." Had he been capable of shedding tears, he would have wept rivers.

"Destroy…infect…survive…" a voice behind Duo droned. Duo turned around and saw X aiming his buster at him. Duo then noticed X's eyes. They were hollow, devoid of the spark of life. "No…it can't be…not you too!"

X finished charging his buster and prepared to shoot. Duo could only cry out, "X!"

---

X opened his eyes and looked around. Darkness; he could only see darkness, as far as his vision went. "What…what's going on? Where am I?"

"At last."

X spun around. "Who said that? Who's there?"

Suddenly a peal of laughter rang out from all around him. Laughter that sounded eerily familiar.

"Who's there? What's so funny?"

"Megaman X! Welcome to your end!"

Suddenly a beam of light appeared before X. He gasped in shock as the saw who was inside the beam of light. It was himself. But slightly different. This X was green and his armor had points on it. There were also purple streaks around his eyes and his fingers ended in claws. X backed up a step. "Who are you?"

"I'm you. Or rather, I am what you are now."

"What do you mean?"

"X, you have become a maverick. I am the personification of the maverick virus. And to answer one of your other questions, we are in your head. I must say, it's very roomy. We're going to be best pals you and I."

X was stunned. His mind? The personification of the maverick virus? This couldn't be. He had been in contact with the virus before, but this had never happened to him.

The fake X spoke once more. "Now, I know you know all about me, and soon I will know all about you, so I'm just gonna' start messin' around in here to make it a bit more hospitable.

"No, I won't let you." X pointed his buster at the copy of himself.

The copy briefly looked back and grinned. "Now X, you don't really think that you can hurt me do you. I was made to attack and overwrite the minds of any robot, or 'reploid,' even. Remember, all the reploids were based off of you. I took control of many of them, what makes you think you're going to be any different?"

X let his buster reply. He fired a charged shot into the copy. However, as the smoke cleared, X saw that his shot had done no damage. The copy smiled. "Well, I guess this is going to be difficult, isn't it? Very well then." The copy shot forward and launched a flurry of punches at X.

X, surprised by the lack of damage his attack had done, and also unprepared for the speed at which his opponent retaliated, was unable to dodge out of the way in time. "You know you can't win. This is my battlefield. I can do anything in here."

The copy grabbed X and slammed him into the ground. It then proceeded to violently kick X multiple times. Eventually X began to cough blood as the attack continued unceasingly. Finally the copy leaned over X and said, "man! You are one tough nut to crack. But I'm just getting started." The copy leveled his buster at X and began to charge. X, still battered from the beating the copy had given him closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.

"X!"

X heard the voice and his eyes shot open. The copy of himself was still pointing its buster at him, almost ready to fire. But X noticed something was off. The copy didn't fire, even though X was sure it had had enough time to finish its charge. It just stood there, that maniacal grin still shown on its face.

X steadily got up to his feet and saw that the copy did not move to follow him; almost as if it were frozen in place. Then X looked down at himself. All the evidence of the fight between him and the copy was gone and he looked like he hadn't even a scratch on him. "What's going on now?"

"The virus was only half-right; this is your head, but it's not the one that can do anything in here, you are."

"Who said that? Where are you?"

"You know who I am X, and you know where as well."

This time the voice had come from behind him. He spun around as he came face to face, more or less, with the speaker. His eyes widened. "You're…"

"Yes I am."

"But, you've been dead for…"

"A long time. Yes, but I live on in your mind X. I am what you imagined him to be, and I'm here to help."

"Then, you're just a figment of my imagination?"

"Unfortunately, yes. But here in your mind, it's your imagination that has power and you must not underestimate your abilities. The virus that you have been infected with is very cunning, but the only way it can win is if you let it."

"But, how can I fight it? It's me and it knows everything I'm capable of, and all my weaknesses."

"It's not you X. That's just the illusion that it has hidden itself in. You know yourself the best X. Would you really do this?"

"No…but…"

"Then you must look at it and see it as it truly is."

X did so, and gasped in surprise. The clone of himself that had been standing with buster charged had turned into another form; that of Dr. Wily. X suddenly realized what he was seeing. The virus tricked him into thinking he was fighting himself, but now that the illusion was gone, so was the main weapon the virus had been using. "That's what the virus is…"

"Yes, and now that you have the tools to win this fight, you don't need my help any more."

"Wait, where will you be? What if I want to talk to you?"

"You need only think of me X, I exist in your thoughts and I will always be there when you need me. Farewell, and good luck…Mega Man X."

X watched as the figure vanished into thin air. "Farewell, brother."

Suddenly, the virus moved again. Then it noticed that X was no longer underneath it. It also realized that it was not in the form of X anymore. The virus looked up and saw X standing before it. "What the…how did you do that?"

"You have no power here. Get out, now."

The virus snarled, then laughed. "So, you caught a second wind did you? It won't help. I'll show you what happens when someone fights me." The virus brought its hands up and shot out bolts of energy from them. The attack flew towards X, but all he did was close his eyes.

At the last second, the lightning was sent flying away from X by some invisible barrier. Curving in midair, the energy arced back towards its source and impacted with the virus. "Argh! No! How is this possible?"

X seemed to glide on air as he dashed towards the virus, readying an attack. The virus tried to counter X's blows, but X began to move faster and faster, until he became a solid wall of force directed towards the virus. The virus fell against the numerous blows that X was making and finally X stopped. He stood over the virus, buster charging.

"How…I am the Maverick Virus. Sigma couldn't resist me; no reploid could. Even your friends Zero and Axl succumbed to me. How can you resist? Why can't I beat you?"

X's armor was glowing a brilliant shade of blue as his charged shot reached levels of power he had only dreamed of. Then he smiled and said, "you live to destroy; a paradox if ever there was one. I fight to preserve; I fight for everlasting peace!" X's charge finished and he pointed the buster at the virus. "Your time is over Wily! Go back to where you came from!"

The virus saw X pointing the buster at him, releasing the charged blast held within. However, it was right before the energy hit him, that he saw two figures where X had been. He saw X straight away, and then he glimpsed at the second figure, one much shorter then X who was also pointing his buster toward him, adding his power to X's. He realized who that second figure was, and understood how X had found the power to fight back. Just as he had remained after death, so had his enemy, the one that he had finally killed, but had never truly defeated. Mega Man. He screamed out, "NO!!!" Then X's shot hit him. The brilliant white energy cascaded through his body as it began to disintegrate and black tendrils flailed as they were consumed by the white light.

Finally, it was over, and not even dust remained.

X breathed a sigh of relief. "It's over…"

---

"It's over…"

Duo looked up towards the voice. He had brought his hands to his face to protect his head from the blast of X's cannon, but no blast came. He brought his hand down and saw X, buster lowered, with tears in his eyes. Rising quickly, he moved to X's side. "X? Are you alright? What's over?"

"Dr. Wily. He's finally gone. It's all over. The pointless vendetta that caused the death and suffering of all these people, it's finally over. I can finally stop fighting." X fell backwards with this last statement; his energy almost completely drained. He briefly saw warning lights that were telling him to go into stasis to protect himself, but for some reason he did not feel the need to acknowledge them. He was done, he thought to himself, there was no need to do anything else. He closed his eyes and embraced the darkness.

"…I want you to live. Promise me that, X..."

The words rang in X's mind, clear as day, piercing through the black. He could not break his promise. He looked up to Duo. "Cossack's Citadel…father…only one…who can…help." He then fell into auto-stasis to preserve his systems.

Duo understood what X meant and gently picked him up. He surrounded the two of them in his aura and flew off.

---

Hours later, a lone figure walked among the ruins where the battle had been fought. Eventually he came upon his target. "Finally. Zero…you will be my masterpiece. X may have been the alpha, but I shall make you the Omega! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

* * *

End Chapter 10

A/N: Well, there's chapter 10. I have to admit, it came out like I wanted it. I hope everyone who reads it will be satisfied. I just have to finish the epilogue and this story will be finito! Please review! I like the feedback.


	11. Epilogue

Epilogue…

* * *

21XX: The Siberian Wilderness, Dr. Cossack's Citadel 2130 Hours GMT

"Ugh…what happened? What the, where am I?"

"In Dr. Cossack's citadel. You asked me to bring you here so that Dr. Light's capusle could fix you."

"Duo! Thank you. I didn't break my promise then."

"Promise?"

"I promised her I'd live. I had to keep that promise."

"Her? Someone you loved?"

"Yes. Or at least, as close to love as a robot could get."

"Do not underestimate yourself X. Your brother taught me many things about life before his was taken. He always found ways to surprise me with something else I did not know. Even though you are not a true human, I believe you have always had the potential to be one."

"You knew him well then? My brother, I mean."

"He was the best friend I ever had. Before I met him, I had a singular purpose in life. However, after that purpose was accomplished, I had no place else to go. I went back to visit him and I began to feel as if I was part of his family."

"One thing I'm curious about; you fought against Zero, correct? Why didn't you destroy him when he had killed the people you cared about?"

"I did fight him, and I witnessed my friends fall before him. I was one of the last ones standing when he lapsed into stasis, and I was just about to destroy him. But then, my mentalics kicked in."

"Your what?"

"It is an ability I possess that allows me to see events that will happen in the future. I do not always have the ability to use it however. Certain things, things that are fated to happen, I cannot see. I could not use my mentalics before we fought Zero the first time, but after Mega Man died, they showed me a vision. It was of Zero, and you, working together, as comrades-in-arms. You were trying to infiltrate a flying castle."

X nodded, recalling the events that Duo was talking about. "Sigma's 'first.' That was back when he had just gone maverick. And that's what stopped you from destroying Zero? You saw that we would be friends and that we would help each other?"

"Yes. That is what spared him. I knew I could not interfere with this planet's future in that way, and so, I took him back to where he was born and put him in a stasis capsule, much the same as Dr. Light did with you."

X gasped in realization. "And that's when his personality developed. After that, he passed the virus on to Sigma and he was normal. But then, that means that he could be saved. If the virus can only exert it's influence on him when it is strong, maybe it could be separated from his personality. We have to do something."

"X, rest, you're still recovering."

"This is important! He could be saved."

"X…when I went back to find Zero's body. It was gone, and I'm not able to access my mentalics to find it."

"…gone? But who…"

"I don't know. But what I do know, is that you two will meet again. After he infected you, I was about to kill him, but I had another vision. This time, even further into the future. You and he will, once again, work together to save this planet. And what's more, he will be free of the virus."

"Well, that's wonderful! I…I suppose that all we can do is wait then."

"You will wait X. However, I must go. I cannot stay much longer. But, before I go; I have something to give you."

"What?"

"Here."

"…But this is Zero's beam saber! I thought it was destroyed."

"It was left on the field of battle and I recovered it. The hologram of Dr. Light helped me to rebuild it and now I give it to you. You will need it in the future."

"But, with the maverick's gone, won't there be peace? Why do I need Zero's saber?"

"I'm sorry X; though the mavericks are doomed without Sigma to lead them, there will still be fighting. There will be much more war and devastation in the future, but I have seen a day when your father's dream, humans and reploids living in peace with one another, will come to pass. You must continue. Zero's saber will help you. Besides, when the time comes, you'll pass it back to him, I've seen it.

"So…I guess this is goodbye?"

"Yes, I think it might be. I don't know if we'll ever see one another again. It is hard, being forced down a path one does not want to tread upon. I don't know if I can take that kind of shock again. However, if I see something that requires my intervention, you may rest assured, I will help to protect this planet. Through all my travels, I've never encountered a place quite like Earth. You are all filled with life, even if some of you don't know it. It is a wonderful thing, and you must not give it up for anything in the world. The one you loved; I may not have known her, but what you and she felt for one another was real. I can't tell you to move on with your life, but I know that it's what she would have wanted. You must live X. For this planet's future, you must fight."

Having finished talking, he walked over to the observation deck. He pressed a few buttons and the giant glass dome pulled back. "Farewell X. Until we next meet." With that, he engulfed his body in flames and morphed into his meteor form. He then proceeded to fly off to the stars. X could only watch as the blue comet streaked away, becoming a pinprick of light, before totally fading away. X lowered his head. He knew that what Duo had said had been the truth. The future of the planet depended on him. While he didn't like it, he had to fight; fight for all who had been senselessly killed, fight for the people who would be killed if he didn't, fight for everlasting peace.

---

One of the reporters raised his hand. "We were all wondering X, just what exactly did happen at Maverick Hunter Headquarters last week?"

"It came under assault from a maverick who had infiltrated the Hunters. That maverick detonated explosives under key parts of the building, causing massive damage and its eventual collapse. Rest assured that that maverick has been taken care of." X would not mention the name of said maverick because he felt to do so would not be fair to the one who had unwillingly participated in the act.

"But what about Sigma? What if he comes back? It's just you now. Could you really fight him off were he to attack soon?"

"Sigma has, for the last time, been destroyed. He will not be coming back. It happened just after the destruction of MHHQ. The rest of the mavericks will undoubtedly scatter and try to reorganize themselves, but I am sure that, lacking any real cohesion, the uprisings, as we have known them in the past, are at an end. That is not to say there will not still be fighting, they are still out there, but they do not pose nearly the same threat as before."

"But X, where were you after MHHQ was destroyed? You disappeared for several days after the fact and no one could get into contact with Signas."

The mention of Signas pained X as the sight of the dead maverick hunters once again entered his mind. "Like I said, Signas, along with all of the other Maverick Hunters were killed fighting Sigma's forces about three days ago. For all intents and purposes, I am the only hunter left."

"But what about Zero? Where has he gone to?"

X looked at the man who asked the question, debating on what answer to give him. "Zero fell during the battle. We have yet to find his remains, though we are hopeful that he could possibly be revived, along with any other hunter that still has an intact control chip." Even as the words rolled off of X's tongue, he knew they were hollow. Virtually none of the hunters had intact control chips when they died, meaning that they could never be revived. Furthermore, the only way Zero would be revived would be to find his mysterious captor. Even now, X wondered about the identity of the person that had taken Zero's remains and hidden them. Not even Duo knew who, or where, he was, however he had been encouraging, telling X that the two of them would be re-united sometime in the future.

For now, however, he was in charge of the Maverick Hunters, or at least until some new government stiff gets the job. Another reporter raised his hand. "You didn't answer the other man's question X. Where were you after the destruction of MHHQ?"

X knew he had to pick his words carefully. "Recovering. Now, if there are no further questions, I have to meet with some government officials regarding the future of the Maverick Hunters." As a multitude of hands went up X just smiled and warped out.

---

Hours later, X returned to the ruins of MHHQ. The government had immediately sent in search and rescue teams in to check for survivors, but having found none, had started clearing the rubble from the disaster area. He had seen the plans for the new base that a bunch of politicos had been proposing. Surprisingly, they had been decent. X could only assume that with the fear that most humans have towards Mavericks, they were willing to make concessions to the Hunters for whatever they needed.

He surveyed the team that was clearing out all the rubble. Soon, a new hunter base would be built on the ruins of the old one. X had gone in with the S&R team primarily to find Alia's body. As far a he knew, her control chip was in one piece, meaning she could conceivably be reactivated. However, in the back of his head, he had felt that it would not be, and his feelings were confirmed when he discovered that the impact of several hundred tons of rubble landing on top of her had snapped her control chip in two. X had felt a stab of guilt as he let her be taken to the recycling factories so that other reploids could be built using her parts. He was able to make himself see the good it would do and, after he had done so, felt much better about it; after all, she was no longer in that body, but rather with him, as long as he remembered her.

The government had provided X with living arrangements until the new headquarters was finished, along with any amenities he asked for. He finally retired to his room for stasis, but decided to watch some news first. The latest story was about some new development in robotics; cyber-elfs, robotic beings that could bestow certain powers to reploids. "*Pfft*…what a dorky name," X said. He turned off the TV and went into his stasis capsule. It was all he could do now; just live his life, fighting the good fight, and waiting for something that could take years to happen. As he was about to go into unconsciousness, he said, "good night Zero, wherever you are. I hope you come back soon." With that, he lapsed into the dreamless sleep of stasis.

---

I opened my eyes…blackness surrounded me; but for some reason…I felt clean. "Where am I?"

________________________________________________________________________

End of Story

A/N: Well, there you have it. At least a year and a half of on and off work on this thing. Like I said at the beginning, I've taken a few liberties with the characters and with the events in this story, but I hope everybody enjoyed it. I'm sure it's obvious from the ending there that I'm trying to tie this into the beginning of the Zero series. Unfortunately, my knowledge of Zero's games is lacking as I really need to play the games. I tried to keep the story as grounded in the established canon as I could. Of course, I still have to reconcile the fact that some of Cossack's robots were bosses in Mega Man: Power Fighters and yet they are helping X in my story. I suppose Wily could have used doubles of them like he did in the original games.

Well, now it's on to the special thanks section;

A humongous shout out to Erico who was the main inspiration for this story.

Thanks to the people who left me comments saying what was good about the story and what I needed to work on.

A big thanks to my buddy who has been reading it and telling me whenever I mess up.

An extra special thank you to Keiji Inafune for making the original blue bomber, X, and Zero and making this story possible in the first place.

And of course, to everybody who got any enjoyment out of it. You guys make it worth writing in the first place.


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